Shadow in the East
by MethLabrador
Summary: Takes off at the end of GH. Torak and Renn meet the Bear Clan in the Eastern forest, who are being terrorised by a demon who takes children. Determined to help, they stay to fight the menace. What they don't know is that the power of the Soul Eaters still lives. The Clan Leader has eyes for Renn, and Torak must choose between his life and his love. T for a reason!
1. Chapter 1

**Thanks for choosing to read this story! It's a work in progress so any reviews letting me know what you think will be greatly appreciated. I know the CoAD community is pretty small, but even just one is motivational! Enjoy x**

ooooo

Renn gathered some soapwort, her fine elk bone comb and her bark scrubbing brush before excusing herself and making her way down to the river in the nearby glade.

It was a fine spring afternoon, and the warm air was rich with sweet, warbling birdsong. Squirrels chattered noisily in the branches above her head, and chubby queen bees drifted lazily through the bushes around her seeking a new place for their hive. The towering trees shifted and sighed in the gentle breeze, letting their leaves shimmer and dance like thousands of gleaming fish scales.

Dragonflies and pond skaters skimmed over the surface of the river as Renn located a suitable area along the river bank to bathe. She hung her bow on a branch of a nearby silver birch tree, and placed her quiver and the rest of her gear at its base.

Renn quickly glanced up and down the river bank to ensure no one was there, but she didn't know why she bothered to do this anymore, since they hadn't met anyone or seen any traces of people for the four moons they had been in the new eastern forest. She believed by now that no other clans lived here.

Stripping off her boots, leggings, jerkin and under bindings, she gathered her washing items and stepped slowly into the river until she was shoulder deep. It was a hot, humid day and the cool clean water on her skin was very refreshing.

Placing her items on a nearby rock, she dipped her head in the flowing water to wet her long red hair. Then she rubbed in some soapwort before rinsing again. When her locks felt clean and soft, Renn began working on her body, lathering on the soap and scrubbing off the ingrained dirt.

It was a beautiful day, and the forest around her was perfect. If she was being honest, it was a little too perfect and was almost mocking her agitated mood. She waded to the shallows and began vigorously scrubbing her pale legs as she recalled the events of the morning:

She and Torak had woken in their shelter and he'd woken up a fire for cooking breakfast. It was a normal routine for them. After eating some duck eggs they'd found the previous day, Torak had been talking about nothing of interest whilst she sat beside him, subtly shifting closer and batting her long eyelashes whenever their eyes met. It was only when their shoulders touched and she'd looked up at him that he'd stopped babbling about a deer track he saw.

Their mouths were so close, and Renn had wanted him to kiss her so badly. She'd gingerly glanced down at his parted lips, then back up to his silver-grey eyes. To her frustration, she'd seen what she always saw when she tried to kindle some romantic action between them: uncertainty.

She'd tried to ignore it, and instead focused on making herself look more feminine. If she looked more attractive, maybe he'll want to kiss her. Coyly tucking her long hair behind her ear, she'd subtly pushed out her chest and licked her lips, leaning closer...closer...

He had angled his head down to meet her, and for a few glorious moments their lips had met. She had moved against him, letting instincts take over as she'd placed her hands on the back of his neck and drew herself closer to his chest. He'd responded by cupping her cheek, but then, to her utter humiliation ad disappointment, he'd broken the kiss and looked away.

'We better get going. That red deer isn't going to track itself.'

Renn smacked the surface of the water with her hands at revisiting the embarrassing memory, wanting the river to wash her downstream away from it all. After that they'd walked in awkward silence, tracking the deer for their dinner. At midday when they were taking a break, she'd hurriedly excused herself to bathe, not wanting to be around him for a moment longer.

She moved back into the deeper water, so that the river was just above her breasts, before rinsing her hair again. Renn knew she was clean, but she didn't want to go back to him yet, she needed some space. She used to crave his company, but being around Torak recently was starting to slowly drive her insane.

For the hundredth time since she left the Ravens, Renn's mind floated back to the heartfelt kiss Torak had given her when she'd injured her ankle before defeating Eostra, the fierce affection in his eyes when they'd met up again after, and the rare delight she'd seen in his face when he swung her in his arms, the day they decided to leave together.

She'd believed that Torak was attracted to her as she was to him. She'd thought that now they were free of the Soul-Eaters and the judgemental clans, they could be together and be happy.

But _every time _she tried anything with him, he'd shy away as if he were a child. She was so confused. Sometimes when she kissed him on the cheek or on the lips, he'd blush and kiss her back. But on other occasions he'd refuse to look at her and turn away. He didn't seem to have a problem with just touching or hugging, but anything more intimate than that and he'd act so uncertain.

She'd tried talking to him numerous times, but he'd always change the subject and she ended up feeling like she was being annoying and clingy. Was he hiding something again? Was he not attracted to her anymore? Had she done something wrong?

Why in the name of the World Spirit would he not just tell her what was going on?

Combing her wet hair and snarling in frustration as her brain ran round in circles, she failed to notice movement in the reeds on the other side of the river until it was too late.

Renn screamed as she spotted a man staring intensely at her from the reeds, about 10 paces away.

She immediately covered her chest, though it was already submerged, and moved to hide behind the rock with her items on. She tried to calm her breathing and think straight, but she was stuck – she couldn't get out to get her bow without him seeing her naked!

Burning with embarrassment and anger she poked her head out from behind the rock to see if he was audacious enough to still be staring.

He was.

'Hey! Stop staring at me you pervert!'

He looked away; suddenly aware of what he was doing. He called out in a voice that was deep and smooth, and reminded her a little of Bale. 'Forgive me, beautiful water nymph of the Forest – I was merely surprised by your presence! I shall avert my eyes if you wish it.'

'I'm not a water nymph!' she shouted back, her cheeks flushing. She moved so that he could see her face clearly and he looked even more embarrassed at noticing her clan tattoos and prickly expression.

'Sorry I- uh...' he stuttered before regaining his composure, 'well, who are you then? I've never seen those tattoos before.'

'I'm from the Raven clan.' She answered, still feeling embarrassed but moreover curious. She'd believed there were no people in the eastern forest. Now she was interested in finding out who he was. 'My...friend and I are just travelling. We're both from the open forest to the west.'

'Over the mountains?'

She nodded, taking in his appearance properly as he stepped out of the reed thicket, closer to the water's edge. He was older than her, probably by about 10 summers. He had long sandy brown hair that was shaved short at the temples and pulled back in a high ponytail which ran down his back. His eyes were the warm brown colour of bear fur, and he had a sharp-featured, handsome face. He was shirtless, wearing just leggings because of the heat, and Renn had to berate herself for staring a little too long at his broad and muscular chest. She also noticed three vertical lines that encircled his neck as his clan tattoo. Unsurprisingly she didn't recognise it.

'What's your name?' he asked, interrupting her thoughts.

'Renn. What's yours?'

'I'm Leos. I'm from the Bear clan, in case you were wondering.' He pointed to his tattoos and Renn smiled back. Despite the embarrassment she felt, she was excited at having met someone from a new clan. She wondered what the Bears were like.

'I was.' Renn was about to ask him another question when she heard someone crashing through the trees behind her. Turning and sinking into the water to cover herself, she watched as Torak burst from the thicket onto the river bank, axe in hand and breathing like a bull auroch. He must have heard her scream from earlier.

'Renn!' He took in the sight of her in the water and his eyes widened as he noticed she wasn't alone. He glared at the man and pointed his axe threateningly. When he spoke his usually soft voice was venomous, 'get away from her!'

Leos crossed his arms over his chest and bowed, which Torak did not reciprocate. 'I'm sorry, I will go now. Renn, it was nice to meet you.' He smiled and turned to leave.

'Wait! Don't go!' Renn called out, hating how desperate she sounded. But she didn't want him to disappear. She was curious about his clan; maybe visiting their camp could be fun. It would certainly be a welcome break from the awkwardness with Torak. He turned back around expectantly at her voice, and Renn took the opportunity to introduce him, 'Torak, this is Leos. He's from the Bear clan.'

'Bear clan?' he lowered his axe a little.

'You're not Raven,' Leos observed, 'what clan are you from?'

'I'm clanless. But, I used to belong to the Wolf clan.' Renn watched as Torak completely lowered his axe, glancing suspiciously between them as he did so. 'What were you doing spying on Renn as she washed?'

'I wasn't _spying_,' he sounded offended. 'I came to get my birch bark that I left to soak.' As he spoke he waded into the water and drew out a sodden bundle of bark pieces, held together with sinew string.

'I didn't mean to scream,' Renn apologised to Torak, 'I was just surprised.'

He relaxed a little at hearing this. Sighing he tucked his axe back in his belt and appraised the older man.

'Is your camp near?' he asked.

'It's about half a day's walk to the east. You should both come to visit. We hardly ever get strangers.' He sounded genuinely enthusiastic as he shouldered the bark load. Smiling at Renn, he said, 'especially those from the west. It's unheard of.'

'We'd love to come to your camp,' Renn replied, excited at the prospect of meeting new people. None of them would know who they were, it was like having a clean slate.

She glanced over her shoulder to see Torak nodding as well, though he didn't seem as eager as she was.

'Great, but I'll let you get changed first, magic water nymph,' he laughed, moving off into the reeds to give her some privacy. Her cheeks burned as she glanced at Torak, who simply raised an eyebrow.

After she had changed, she met up with Torak and they crossed the river, finding Leos waiting for them. Together they began to walk towards the Bear clan settlement, not knowing how their lives would shortly change forever.


	2. Chapter 2

Torak glared at Leos as he moved yet another branch aside for Renn. Did he think she was as weak as a fawn, incapable of making her way through the forest by herself?

His glare intensified as he saw Renn smile at him in thanks. He had a sudden sense of déjà vu and realised that Bale had done the same thing for her when they were on the island in Lake Axehead during his time as an outcast.

Bringing himself out of the memory, he denied outright that what he was feeling was jealously or possessiveness – Renn was already his. They had been best friends since they were only 12 summers old and gone through too much to ever be apart. The very thought of their separation was unthinkable. It would take more than chivalry from a stranger to break them apart. But there was something else about this young man that made him feel unexplainably uneasy.

He sorely wished that Wolf was with them to sense any potential danger. But with a pang in his chest he remembered that Wolf, Darkfur and Pebble were many day walks south in their new den. It would be selfish of him to drag them around with him and Renn constantly on their travels. And yet, he still longed for his company. He hadn't seen Wolf in over a moon and he was missing his pack-brother terribly.

Torak watched Renn walking in front of him with a horrible sense of distance. He admired the way the evening light made her hair glow like embers, and he wanted desperately to reach out and draw her close to him. He could never get enough of their hugs and the feeling of her smaller, softer body in his arms. But once again he found his arms fixed awkwardly at his sides. Unsure of himself and what he was feeling, he kept his distance.

'What's the sea like?' he heard Leos ask Renn from up ahead. He'd been so focused on his own thoughts that he failed to notice the shift in conversation.

'It's huge. When you're in the middle of it, you can't see the end in any direction. We travelled to the Seal islands, and it was terrifying on the skin boats.'

'What's a seal?'

'Don't let them hear you say that,' Torak joined in the conversation, not wanting to be left out again. He remembered the Seal boys being outraged at his ignorance all those summers ago. He smiled sadly to himself, missing Bale more than he could say.

'They're like giant fishes, but with the faces of dogs.' Renn answered, looking back at Torak with the sharp-toothed grin that he loved.

Leos burst out laughing, 'what a strange creature! It sounds like you have seen a lot in your travels. What are the Seal people like?'

'They're hard-working, honest people. We made some good friends there.' Torak replied.

'That's good,' Leos nodded as he moved through the bracken. 'Hopefully you will say the same thing after you've spent some time with the Bear clan.' He turned around and gave them both a lopsided smile.

'I'm sure we will.' Renn replied, the excitement evident in her voice. Torak felt guilty. She's probably missing people, she's probably missing being in a clan, he told himself. You haven't been good enough company for her.

He pushed away his negative thoughts as he noticed several grey smoke columns in the sky not far ahead. The trail steepened and they descended down the side of the valley. Eventually they reached a flat stretch of earth that ran parallel to the river. He heard sounds of people and dogs, and sure enough when they emerged from the forest into a clearing, the camp came into full view in front of them.

It was a messy arrangement of shelters, fires, drying racks and dugout stands – just like every other camp Torak had seen. The only difference was that just to the left of the settlement; there was a great cave in the rock of the valley. He could see several more hide shelters and fires built inside it, so that the camp was occupying both the cave and the clearing near the river.

Why would anyone want to live in a cave? He thought wryly.

Then he remembered what animal these people took their clan name from: the Bear.

As they drew closer to the camp, the noise died down and the people stopped their activities, looking warily at the newcomers. Those who were down by the river stopped fishing and stared. Women put down their needles and men paused as they scraped hide. Little children stopped playing, noticing their parent's stillness, and watched with curiosity shining in their large eyes.

Torak looked at the district dress style of the Bear clan. Their hair colour ranged from dark brown to sandy brown, and they all wore it in long ponytails. Only the men had their temples shaved, and only the women seemed to have any plaits or beads braided into their ponytails. The men and boys wore short tunics with leggings and boots, and the women and girls wore knee-length tunics with boots but no leggings. The adults all wore a bear tooth at their throat, and a scrap of bear skin on their shoulder, sewn into their plain jerkins.

'Everyone, I met these two strangers in the woods. They are travellers from the west, over the mountains.' Leos introduced them, and they both crossed their fists over their heart, bowing respectfully.

'I'm Torak, and this is my- my friend Renn.' He hated stuttering, but he had to stop himself from saying mate. They definitely weren't mates yet. Friends didn't seem to sum their relationship up very well anymore, but he had nothing else to provide.

'We didn't know there was anyone else living in the east.' Renn said. He knew she wouldn't have missed his stutter.

'Well know you know.' A gruff looking man replied, but his voice was humorous and a few people chuckled. Torak wondered if he was clan leader, but he could see no distinguishing features about him. He couldn't see anyone who looked like a mage either.

'For tonight, they are our honoured guests. Let's give them a proper Bear clan welcome!'

'Did you say Torak?' asked an older looking woman from the back of the throng. The people parted and she moved forward. Was she the mage? Her face was open and hopeful, but she wore no ceremonial garments to set her apart from the other people of her clan, 'are you the same Torak who defeated the Soul-Eaters?'

Torak was stunned. How could this woman know about that? There was no contact between the east and west over the mountains, at least as far as he was aware. He furrowed his brow, he wanted a clean slate here, but could he lie to them? What would they do if they found out who he was?

'He is him,' another man said before he could answer, he pointed his finger, 'look at his forehead!'

Torak instinctively touched his outcast tattoo. He was still self-conscious of it, often using headbands even when alone with Renn just to cover it up. His cheeks heated up as he felt the entire clan stare at his face.

'Of course!' Leos breathed, looking at him as if for the first time. 'You must be Torak of the Forest!'

'I met a Mountain Hare hunting party a moon ago; they had heard from the Swan clan that the Soul Eaters had been vanquished once and for all by an open forest boy. His name was Torak, and by their description he looks just like you!' the woman exclaimed, her mouth turning into a beaming smile.

'Uh-'

Torak could not get a word in edgeways thereafter as the people of the Bear clan thanked him and shook his hand, praising his actions and offering him gifts. He learnt that their old Mage had connections with the Soul Eaters, and that the demon bear had killed several of their hunters.  
After meeting what felt like the entirety of the clan minus the mage and the leader, Torak was sat down on a log by the main fire and offered a bowl of smoked salmon and berries.

Leos sat beside him, grinning. Renn sat to his right, looking uncomfortable at all the positive attention they were getting. Usually with them, they were captured or imprisoned when they met new people. This was a definite improvement.

The adults of the camp had gone back to their tasks, but the excitement was still buzzing in the sound of their eager voices. Gaggles of children watched the newcomers from behind shelters and drying-racks, fascinated by their different appearance. The brown-haired girls stared wide-eyed at Renn; they seemed particularly entranced by her striking red hair.

'So, who is your clan leader?' Renn asked after popping a few berries into her mouth.

'You're talking to him.'

'You?' they both asked simultaneously. He laughed at their expressions, before taking a necklace out of his pouch. It had a set of bear claws threaded onto it, along with several chunks of beautiful tree amber, carved into miniature bear heads. He put it around his neck.

'Do I look the part now?' he asked, gesturing to his necklace with a grin.

'But, you look so young.' Renn said, not wanting to offend him but unable to hide her questions. Torak admired the way she got straight to the point.

'I'm 28 summers old, so I guess you could say that I'm young. But I was chosen as leader because my Fa was the leader before me.' His cheery countenance fell. 'When he passed two summers ago, he gave the title to me.'

'I'm sorry that your Fa passed.' Torak said, knowing all too well the pain of losing a father.

'Thank you. He was a strong leader; I only hope I can be half as good.'

'You will be.' Renn spoke. 'You're Bear, all bears are strong.'

He smiled at that, and was about to reply, when he noticed someone approaching from one of the shelters.

He stood as a man approached them. Torak and Renn did the same, setting down their bowls to greet the stranger.

'Torak, Renn, this is our clan Mage, Kanuk.'

They both bowed to him, which he did in return. Torak was startled at the bulky man's appearance, which was drastically different from the rest of the clan's attire. He wore a sleeveless red deer skin jerkin, stretched taut over his muscular frame, studded with many white shells and beads. His leggings were also adorned by shells, but his large boots were plain. Around his neck hung a complicated necklace made from bear claws, teeth and bones. His hair was the same as the other Bear men, and he had a beard that made him seem even stockier. Bone earrings protruded from his lobes, and he had red ochre smeared around his eyes, giving him an intense stare.

'I hear you are the Torak of the Forest, the hero who cleansed our lands from the Soul Eaters?'

'Yes I am.' Torak's voice sounded piteously normal against the larger man's rich baritone.

'It is an honour to meet you.' He bowed again and smiled, gesturing for them to sit back down. Once they were seated, he began again. 'I have prayed to the World Spirit for help, but I could have never predicted that they would send such a blessing for our clan.'

'What do you mean?'

His face was etched in pain as he spoke. 'The World Spirit has sent you to us, the hero of the west, to save our clan.'

Torak frowned. He glanced at Leos, and saw his face had turned solemn. 'Save your clan from what?'

'The Demon.'


	3. Chapter 3

'We found some tracks not far from camp.' The mage said as Torak trailed behind him. Renn had stayed in the camp as the women of the tribe insisted they make her new clothes for the upcoming summer heat. He had received new leggings but no tunic, as most of the bear men were bare-chested in the heat. Still self-conscious of the ugly scar on his chest, he kept his old jerkin on.

As he followed the Bear Mage Kanuk, he reflected on what he'd been told earlier. Apparently, the camp was being terrorised by a demon that would steal children in the night. He had thought it could be a tokoroth – but the Soul Eaters were gone. No one knew the art of creating them anymore. He had briefly suspected the Bear Mage, but why would he steal from his own clan? It made no sense.

They stopped where the ground became muddier, about 30 paces or so from the camp. The mage crouched and pointed at a number of tracks, well-preserved in the soft mud. Torak knelt down next to him, examining the size and shape. It was like nothing he'd ever seen before. It was as long as his arm and pointed on both ends, like a sharp willow leaf. There was no mistaking this was a creature from the otherworld; no animal could make such strange tracks. And yet, the demons he had seen in the past were not this physical. They were fleeting black shadows, seen out of the corner of your eye. They weren't huge and they didn't leave tracks.

But what else could it possibly be?

'This is like nothing I've ever seen,' he voiced his thoughts to the mage, who nodded grimly in understanding.

'That's what we all thought too. There are some more tracks down by the river.' Torak nodded and followed him again until they came to the edge of the river. Torak could see the tracks walking down to the water's edge before disappearing. The mud beneath each print was pressed down firmly, suggesting that they were carrying a weight with them. Torak swallowed as he imagined the poor child being carried away by a beast he couldn't even imagine.

'They took a child last night?' he asked.

'Yes. It was the tenth that has been taken.'

'When did it start?'

'About six moons ago.'

Torak swallowed again, feeling sick. What did the demon want with the children? Was it going to turn them into tokoroth? Did it even know how? So many questions raced through his mind. He knew he had to fight this demon and help the clan in whatever way he could, but the strange tracks made his blood run cold. What _was_ it that he was going to be fighting?  
Once again he longed for Wolf. He would be able to sense what was going on and help him solve the case. He would stand by his side, and together they would take down the enemy as pack-brothers. Biting back the urge to howl, he turned to the mage.

'How does it take them?' he asked, watching the raw pain burn behind his ochre eyes.

'It differs. Sometimes a child will wander into the forest playing, and it will take it then. Other times we have found tracks leading very close to the shelters, and the child willingly walks out to meet it.' He shook his head in utter confusion and despair. 'I wish we could catch a glimpse. We have guards out now, every night. But still, once in a while a child will wander and gets taken. It can't go on.'

Torak's heart tightened at thinking of the poor children and their parents, not knowing what had happened to their young. He would stop this; he swore on his three souls he would do everything he could to end these people's suffering. 'No, it can't.'

ooooo

'You look lovely,' said a voice from the doorway of the shelter.

Renn spun on her heel and felt her cheeks heat at seeing Leos standing there, admiring her new Bear clan outfit. She ran her hands down the soft hide, enjoying how light and flowing it was compared to her old clothes. This would keep her much cooler in the heat. She had never worn a dress like this before, and it felt very comfortable, if a little unusual. She glanced down and saw her bare legs.

'Thanks Leos. I'm not used to seeing my knees though.' She joked, looking back up at him. 'It may take some time to get used to.'

He smiled warmly. Then he looked away and picked at a hole in his leggings. 'I don't suppose you'd like to talk to some of the children? They've been bugging me to introduce them to you, and they want to see your red hair.'

She quirked an eyebrow, 'they want to see my hair?'

'Well, it's quite unusual. I've never seen red hair before.'

'Really?' she was quite surprised. In the east, redheads were fairly common, though the majority of people still had dark hair.

'No... That's why I thought you were a water nymph the first time I saw you.' He laughed, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. She couldn't help but smile when he said that.

'I'll come in a minute. Where will you be?'

'Down by the river.'

She nodded and smiled as he left. Then Renn then picked up her belongings and put them in the corner next to her sleeping mat. The Bears had been generous and built her and Torak their own mini shelter out of logs and draped hides. It was cosy, and reminded her of the familiar Raven shelters she'd grown up in. Smoothing down her new dress, she exited and squinted in the sunlight.

As Renn made her way down the worn path to the river's edge, she saw Leos talking to a large huddle of children who were sitting on the mossy rocks that littered the edge of the water. The river was shallow at this point, and so she didn't worry about falling in as she clambered towards them over the boulders.

'There she is!' shouted a little girl with an impressive set of lungs for someone so small.

'I told you she'd come,' Leos said, grinning from ear to ear. The children watched with rapt attention and barely suppressed excitement as Renn seated herself beside the clan leader and smiled at them. She'd never seen so many curious little faces all directed at her before.

'Hello.' She said, lifting up a hand in an awkward greeting. She'd never been too good with children.

'Bear children, this is Renn of the Forest. Renn of the Forest, these are the Bear children.' Leos introduced them.

'It's nice to meet you.' She said.

'Why's your hair red?' asked a small boy with a snotty nose and rouge cheeks. Renn thought he looked about four summers old.

She shrugged. 'It just is.'

'Are you the willow World Spirit?' asked an older girl, probably of about six summers. Her face was wide-eyed and eager with excitement.

'Well, I-'

'I found her in the river. She's a _real_ water nymph.' Leos told them.

There was a moment of silence. Then all the children started squealing and babbling loudly, talking over each other in their enthusiasm and clapping their little hands in joy. Several of the girls gasped, looking at the redhead with wonder in their eyes. Several of the boys jumped up and down, whopping loudly, not able to contain their delight. Renn elbowed Leos in the arm, and he whispered back into her ear, his breath tickling her, 'too late to deny it now.'

'Can you control water?' asked a chubby boy.

'Do you live in the river?' another boy cut him off.

'Can I be one too?' a girl with grey eyes asked, leaning towards her and grinning.

Renn smiled, finding their excitement strangely endearing. She also felt incredibly apprehensive of the night that was to come – was one of these faces going to disappear forever? She wondered how many faces had already been taken.

'I do normally live in the river,' she said, immediately silencing their chatter as they listened intently, hanging on her every word. 'But Leos asked me to come and help you all, so I'm living on dry land for now.'

They cheered as they heard this, truly believing that she was a water spirit here to aid them. Renn was glad that she could bring some hope to these children. They did not deserve to live with the fear that every time the sun set, they could wake up stolen. She glanced at Leos and he looked down at her with warm brown eyes, he mouthed a silent 'thank you'.

ooooo

'The tracks were unlike anything I've ever seen. They belonged to no animal I knew, but they could not be a demon's either.'

'Where did they lead?' Renn whispered from her sleeping sack next to him, her head poking out from the thick fur.

'Down to the river's edge. It must swim or disappear into the water somehow.' Torak ran his hands through his messy brown locks, tired and exhausted from the endless questions that ran around in his head like a stampede of reindeer.

'Maybe tomorrow you'll find some new evidence.' She assured him.

'Mm, maybe.' He stifled a yawn. It was around middle night, and he and Renn had stayed up talking after dinner about what they'd found so far. Curled up in their sleeping sacks next to each other, they were snug in the Bear shelter. No noises could he heard but from the creaking of the drying-racks, the low rumble of the river, and someone in the shelter next to theirs, snoring.

Torak strained his ears, trying to hear any suspicious sounds, but his body felt warm and heavy with food, and soon he succumbed to sleep.

He missed the patter of footsteps outside as a small, snotty nosed boy left his parents shelter, and walked straight into the arms of the demon.


	4. Chapter 4

A wretched wailing noise pierced through Torak's sleeping mind like an arrow through a waterskin, immediately waking him from his slumber.

He sat bolt upright, nearly banging his head on the crossbeam of the small shelter. Torak quickly glanced at Renn who had just woken beside him. Her long hair was messy about her face and her black eyes were wide with alarm.

Simultaneously they got up and raced outside towards the noise.

'My Dakati!' the mother wailed from her position on her knees, clutching desperately at a small wooden fox toy. Dread dropped like a rock in Torak's stomach as he realised what had happened during the night. He angrily berated himself – you fool! You should have stayed awake! You could have caught the demon in the act!

Her mate placed his hands on her shoulders and knelt beside her, drawing her close for a hug. Even from his distance Torak could see the silent tears on the large man's rough cheeks. In a matter of moments, the entire clan seemed to be outside in the dawn air. They looked on with sympathy and anxiety. Several murmured uneasily, touching clan-creature skins and drawing their children close to them.

The raw grief of the mother and father was so awful to experience that Torak turned away, unable to stand it. He glanced at Renn, and saw her delicate face was full of sorrow for the stolen child and his family. He knew he had to do something immediately to help the clan, and make Renn happy. He saw the mage emerge from his shelter, looking crestfallen and grim. He quickly made his way towards him.

'I'm going to track it. It can't have gone far.'

The mage nodded and placed a large hand on his shoulder, 'thank you Torak. If you need anything, do not hesitate to let us know.'

Torak gave him a weak smile and left him. He told Renn what he was doing, and then left her to start his task. He focused his mind, trying to block out the cries of the mourners and began to scan the area for clues as to what happened last night.

ooooo

The Bear mage and the Bear clan leader sat alone together, watching the fire dance wildly in the main shelter which resided in the old bear cave. The mage scattered a handful of small bones onto the flames, chanting and rocking as they cracked and splintered in the heat. The fire burned briefly purple, casting a plume of foul smoke upward that stung their lungs and made their eyes water.

'The bones say the same thing over and over, yet it cannot be true.' The mage whispered, his voice rasping in the smoke.

'What does it say?' the leader asked, watching his companion rocking back and forth. Kanuk's ochre painted eyes pierced his suddenly, and he jerked back in shock at the wild, hungry look on his face.

'They say, he was born on midsummer's night, that he runs with the wolves,' the mage hissed, looming closer through the smoke and grasping the leader's jerkin in a powerful grip. 'That he has powers!'

'What powers?' Leos whispered, fearing the answer. If this young man Torak had power to defeat the Soul Eaters, who knew what he was capable of. Suddenly the dark haired, tawny-skinned youth he'd spoken to yesterday seemed like a different person.

'He is a _spirit walker_!' The mage's eyes were incandescent with fervour, and his voice shook from the emotion that was passing through him.

The Bear clan leader's jaw turned slack. 'No, that's impossible!'

'It is true! The bones do not lie. This is how he defeated the Soul Eaters once and for all.' He let go of his jerkin, easing back into his previous position. He watched as the flames leapt and danced in the smoke. His voice was calmer the next time he spoke, but there was still an undercurrent of intensity that the leader found unnerving, like the eerie calm before a thunder storm. 'Do you know what this means Leos?'

'That he can help rid us of the demon?'

'Yes.'

'But how? How do we ask him to use his power?'

'We don't,' he frowned deeply, 'at least not yet. You will talk to the fair red-haired girl; find out all there is to know about the spirit walker. Once we have a clear idea about what we're dealing with, we'll make a plan. His power is the answer to our prayers, but he could be more dangerous than we know.'

Leos nodded, consenting to the plan so far. He hoped that somehow they could get Torak to defeat the demon with his power. He stood and made his way to the tent flap that led outside, turning one last time to see the mage's coat-clad back, 'I'll go talk to the girl.'

ooooo

Renn lay her hooks in the shallows, delicately arranging them so they wouldn't be obvious to the fish or get knocked away by the current. She straightened up and made for the bank to make some more hooks, when she was Leos walking down the gentle slope to meet her. He was smiling his warm smile and she immediately returned the gesture.

'How's it going?' he asked as he reached her.

'Fine. I feel a bit useless for not being able to help Torak track though.' She adjusted her hair which she'd tied up to keep out of her face. 'So I thought I'd fish.'

They both sat down and she began twining the hooks out of brambles. He watched her white hands moving delicately and skilfully, avoiding the thorns and weaving the stems as she crafted the fishing line. The silence was comfortable and the sun warm on their backs, and Renn was glad of some company.

'I never asked you before, but are you and Torak...' he gestured vaguely with his hand, hoping she would get the message. Renn looked up as he spoke, and the question made her forget all about the brambles in her hands. Are she and Torak anything? A bitter and dejected feeling arose in her.

'If you're implying we're mates, we're not.' Her voice sounded sharper than she intended.

Leos nodded quickly, looking a little surprised. 'But, do you think you will be one day?'

She began twining again to quell her churning emotions. His question echoed in her head and all her worries from yesterday came back to her like a surging wave. Will they ever be mates? Would he ever ask her? Would he even want to?

She thought back to all the times he had avoided her touch recently, and drawn back from her kisses. It felt like their flame had been snuffed out by some force she didn't understand. It hurt like a knife in the chest to think of him not wanting her romantically, but she needed to face the truth. It was becoming apparent to her that they would not be mates. She decided to be honest with Leos and tell him what had been burdening her. His face was so open and honest that it made her want to tell him everything. She'd only met him a few days ago but she already felt like he was a close friend, despite not knowing much about him.

'I don't think so.'

He nodded again, 'that's a shame. You seem to have a close bond.'

'We do. We've been through _a lot_ together,' she smiled sadly and glanced at him. 'But I don't think we'll ever be more than friends.'

Renn could have sworn she saw a flicker of something in his eyes as she said that, but it was gone as soon as she saw it. 'Ah, he sounds like the type who waits too long.'

She gave him a questioning look.

'When I was younger, my best friend fell in love with a lovely girl called Amburi from the Fox clan. But he postponed telling her how he felt because he was so nervous and unsure of himself, by the time he worked up the courage to ask her to be his mate, she had already joined with a man from the Beaver clan, and he was heartbroken.'

Renn pondered that for a while. Could it be that Torak was just nervous and shy around her like his friend? She pushed the thought away. How could he be nervous with her? They had been friends since they were 12 and knew each other better than anyone else in the whole forest. There was nothing to be nervous about.

She turned her attention back to the sandy haired young man beside her. 'What about you? Who is your mate?'

His face saddened a little bit as he replied, 'I used to have a mate, about 9 summers ago, but she died of a terrible fever. I want another mate now, but I haven't found anyone I feel affectionate towards.'

Renn's heart rang out in sympathy for Leos. She couldn't imagine the pain at losing a mate, especially in his youth. She reached out and touched his strong forearm to comfort him. He placed his hand over hers, his large fingers lightly squeezing hers, and smiled in his lopsided way.

'I'm sure you'll find a woman soon.' She assured him.

'I'd like that.' He replied softly with such tenderness in his eyes that made her stomach flutter. She removed her hand from his, brushing a strand of hair away from her face and trying to hide her growing blush unsuccessfully. What was happening to her? Renn went back to intently threading the bramble hooks, not daring to look up at him again until her cheeks returned to their usual whiteness.

'So, how did Torak manage to defeat the Soul Eaters? You were with him presumably?' Leos asked after a while. His voice sounded back to its usual smoothness, and he sounded just as curious as he did when they met by the river for the first time. Renn decided to indulge him in the story of defeating Eostra with the help of Wolf and Dark. She cut out the part when Torak kissed her. The thought of revealing that would only make him ask more questions about their relationship, questions that she didn't want to think about. As much as she enjoyed Torak's quiet nature, it was nice to be talking to someone chatty and she found herself enjoying having a new friend.

After Renn had finished recounting the tale in as much detail as she could remember, she looked at his utterly astonished expression and gave a sharp-toothed grin. Then she stood and pulled on the strap of twine holding her hair up. Her red ochre waves spilled over her shoulders and down her back gently. She ran her hands through to loosen some of the curls and enjoyed the transfixed expression of Leos as he stared at her red locks. 'I better put these hooks out.'

Leos watched with a strange feeling in him as Renn walked down to the water's edge. Her red waves blew about her like branches of autumnal trees caught in the wind. She crouched to put the new hooks in place, and he found himself admiring the soft curves of her figure, which were accentuated in her bear clan dress.

He admitted silently to himself then that he found her attractive. What man wouldn't? However, he had seen many attractive women in his life, and yet none of them held the shadowy mystery that Renn did. Her eyes were sharp and black like a raven's, and her skin snow white. Her hair was the colour of the sacred deep red ochre they painted with on the cave walls.

He shook himself out of his wandering thoughts. Leos reminded himself of the talk he'd had with Kanuk in the cave shelter. He needed to ask her more questions, find out more about Torak. They desperately needed the spirit walker's help but he understood that they had to wait a little while. He had thought spirit walkers were a myth until Kanuk had read the bones, and a part of him still couldn't believe it was true.

If Leos found out through talking to her that Torak was dangerous and a threat to the Bear clan, he didn't want her travelling with him anymore. It wouldn't be safe. He would keep Renn here with him, away from the spirit walker.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you to my two reviewers so far! Enjoy the drama...**

ooooo

Torak stayed awake for many nights, watching the moonlit Bear camp with eyes as focused and ears as attentive as a wolfs'. He crept amongst the towering trees, surveyed the bank of the river and stalked around the empty camp, hoping to catch a glimpse of the demon terror. He'd set numerous twine traps, snares and pitfalls covered with bracken. But in five days he had seen nothing but the occasional boar snuffling around in curiosity, and he had caught nothing except some angry badgers.

He had been catching up with sleep during the day, which left him with energy for the night, but had disorientated him and made him grouchy. He wondered how the nocturnal creatures coped with waking with the moon. Renn had advised him to only stay up half the night, but he'd ignored her advice. The last time he fell asleep – a child got taken. He couldn't risk it again.

He remembered a few summers ago when they were tracking Thiazzi in the deep forest, and they'd run into Gaup of the Salmon Clan. His child had been taken, and at the time he and Renn had both suspected that they were to be turned into tokoroth. Initially when Kanuk told them of the missing children, he'd suspected tokoroth were involved somehow, but now he was finding it harder and harder t believe. How could a demon have intelligence sophisticated enough to know how to create them? Another thought struck him.

The fire opal.  
To make tokoroth you need its power to draw the demon into the soulless husk of the child. Since the opal had been destroyed, there was no way the demon could be using its power.

But that then proposed another question: If these children weren't being turned into tokoroth, what was the demon's plan?

Torak shifted in position, crouched in a juniper bush on the edge of the camp. It was the sixth night he'd kept guard solo, and he'd been keeping very still for well over half the night. His legs were sore and cramped, but he stayed put, straining his eyes in the dark and adjusting his grip on Fa's blue slate knife. Every light breeze that blew made shadowy shapes appear in the vegetation, shifting and darting like the demons Torak had seen in the far north. He kept expecting to feel a menacing presence behind him, a hot waft of air by his throat or feather-light claws on his face.

Shaking his fears away, Torak tried regaining his focus, scanning the camp once more for any unusual signs or sounds. But his thoughts drifted as soon as he saw the lumpy-looking shelter the Bears had made for him and Renn to share.

Renn.

He wished she was here next to him. The selfish part of him always wanted her with him, where no one else could get her. If she was here with him, she could be in danger if the demon did decide to show up. How could he live with himself if she got taken?  
He hadn't allowed her to help him at night, much to her frustration, and when he wasn't sleeping during the day, he was out tracking in the forest, leaving her alone and angry with him.

This mission to capture the demon seemed to have absorbed all his thoughts and energy. He could kid himself by saying that it was because he wanted to save the clan more than anything – but there was more than that. Renn probably saw it too. He was distracting himself from all the problems being alone with her gave him. The tangle of emotions whenever she was near him was too much, and he needed time to escape to untangle the massive knot their relationship had become.

Torak shifted his weight onto his other leg, suppressing a moan of pain at the ache in his knees. _Stay focused! _

Grey eyes once again scanned the area, looking between the shelters, around the forest edge, up to the tree's canopy...nothing.

Grinding his teeth in frustration, Torak continued to watch. Again his thoughts began to drift apart like leaves on a lake. He began to wonder what would happen if he wasn't able to see the demon, and if the child thefts kept happening somehow. He couldn't keep hiding in the bushes and waiting, but neither did he want to acknowledge what he'd been dreading in the back of his mind. Would he have to spirit walk to see it?

An owl hooted nearby, and Torak looked up to see that the moon had already moved across the sky since he last checked. Soon dawn would be here, and another day would pass with no results. The answer was increasingly affirmative.

ooooo

Torak slept until around midday, before rising to check the surrounding forest once again. This time he planned to travel further up the river than he had before, it would be a long walk and he wouldn't be back until dusk.

As he emerged from the shelter with his gear, ready to head off, a sight caught his eye which made him halt in his tracks.

Renn and the clan leader Leos were down by the water's edge talking, he could make out a small dugout tied to the shore which contained some bundles and two paddles. His hands automatically curled into fists as Renn laughed at something the older man said. A stab of jealousy shot through him like viper venom – Renn's laugh was rare, and only he made her laugh. They were standing close together and they had all their weapons on them, as if they were about to go somewhere. What was going on?

He was aware that they had been spending a lot of time together whilst he had been busy, but he hadn't really thought anything of it until now. His mind whirred as he began to think the worst, but he shoved his worries down before he could dwell on anything properly. They're probably just going hunting. Nothing wrong with that.

But when he saw Leos wrap his arms around her for a tight hug – his rationality failed him. He glanced wide eyed at Renn, expecting her to prise him off and knee him where it hurt, but after only a moment's hesitation – she embraced him back!

Jealousy exploded into his blood stream like a tidal wave, making it run hot and fast through his body. His silver eyes darkened and his fists shook as he made his way towards them, all thoughts of his tracking mission fled from his mind. A small voice at the back of his mind told him he shouldn't be going to confront them when he was feeling so furious, as it would only make everything more complicated between them – but he pointedly ignored it. Whether she should be or not, Renn was his woman, and the sight of her in the arms of another male made his blood boil.

Renn noticed him approaching and immediately dropped her arms to her sides. Her pale face turned a sequential mixture of shock, embarrassment and apprehension. Leos looked down at her in confusion before realising what had happened. He cleared his throat to offer an overly cheery greeting to the furious looking youth, but Torak spoke first.

'Looks like you've been having fun in my absence, Renn.' Torak said to the redhead, his voice sounded like it didn't belong to him. Again he knew at the back of his mind he shouldn't be confronting them like this, it felt wrong. Yet he was too angry to care. He stood a few paces away from the pair, but he was still tall, and managed to tower over her.

'...We're going to hunt upstream; you can come if you want.' Leos filled in when Renn didn't reply. He gestured east along the river before placing his hands uncertainly behind his back. He watched Torak and Renn warily, hoping a conflict wouldn't come from their brief hug.

'No thanks. I have more important things to do, like catching this demon.' His mouth was a straight line as he talked, and his voice was sharp. Renn's dark eyes flicked anxiously between the two young men. The tension in the air was palpable.

'Right, we'll just be going then.' Leos said, touching Renn's bare arm to guide her to the boat. Torak didn't miss the gesture, and another wave of irrational jealousy stirred deep within him.

'Who gave you permission to touch her?' he asked angrily, moving forward and pushing his hand off her arm.

'Torak, stop it.' Renn spoke for the first time, her voice stern and scolding.

'You can't touch her!' Torak repeated, ignoring Renn and moving towards Leos, who stood his ground. They bumped chests and he glared up into the other man's amber brown eyes. Torak felt intimidated by his age and slight physical superiority, but his primal need to deter him from Renn was strong enough that he didn't let any of his fear show. Adrenaline and testosterone was hot in the air as Torak pushed the man back with force. Leos stumbled on the uneven ground but regained his balance, puffing out his chest and glaring at the younger man but refusing to fight him.

Renn grabbed Torak's arm frantically before he landed a blow on Leos. 'Torak stop it! You're overreacting!'

'I'm overreacting?' he rounded on her. 'You belong to me, not him. He shouldn't have touched you!'

'I don't _belong_ to anyone!' Renn shouted back, her face reddening. 'It was only a hug Torak, so stop acting like you have such a claim on me!'

'I do have a claim on you!'

'Then why don't you act like it?!' she all but screeched. 'You never initiate anything with me! You reject me over and over. You clearly don't want to be my mate. So I can do what I want, you don't own me and you never will!'

Torak was silent, trying to work out what to say next – but Renn took his hesitation as a confirmation that he didn't want her as his mate. He looked up to see her eyes suspiciously wet. She glared at him before stalking towards the dugout. Climbing in, she didn't look at Torak as she spoke. 'Let's go Leos.'

The clan leader, who had been watching the debacle warily, took one last look at the Wolf clan youth, before joining Renn in the boat.

Torak watched from the shore in a state of dream-like disjointedness as they disappeared upstream. Suddenly he was by himself on the bank and all of his rage had left as quickly as it had arrived. Renn had deserted him for Leos, Wolf was far away, and he was in a demon haunted forest – alone. He felt a horrible mixture of feelings in his stomach, churning and rolling like a retch about to happen. He needed to get away.

He walked west into the forest until his head swam from exhaustion and his muscles ached. Slumping at the bottom of a tree trunk, he stared numbly ahead.

He was completely torn.

He should be happy Renn didn't want him as her mate; it meant she could go and live a normal safe life with another man, and she would never be in danger because of him again.

If the people in the east knew who he was – who else out there might? There could be other malevolent people out there to get his power. He never wanted Renn to get hurt because of him, like Wolf and Darkfur and Pebble did. Like Bale did. His romantic uncertainty around her was always because in the back of his mind, he felt wary about becoming too close. What if one day disaster struck? What if she lost her life because of him?

It was good she didn't want him as her mate. It was a good thing she didn't love him like he loved her. It made it easier to move away.

And yet he was still selfish. He was still with her, unable to sever himself fully, but hanging around to postpone the inevitable. She'd been his rock when Fa died and all he knew was turned on its head. He couldn't imagine life without her. Their separation wasn't something he could even think about without feeling a constriction in his chest, tighter than the grip of an ice bear, stronger than any feeling he'd ever felt, as if the air was being ripped from his lungs and a granite mountain bared down on him. Love.

He'd been jealous of her with Bale, and now with Leos, despite the fact he didn't intend to be her mate. She was right when she'd said he had no claim on her. But he didn't want to admit it, it made their separation reality.

He loved her. And yet he wanted her to be free and safe from him.

His mind felt like the restless sea, always churning and lurching. He was so tired and confused and upset and angry. Why couldn't things be simple?  
He longed again for his pack-brother, for the familiar feel of Wolf's soft pelt and the whiskers that ticked his eyelids. Wolf was honest and simple. He saw things as they were, and his mind wasn't clogged with emotional debris. Torak longed also for his Fa. He would know what to do. He always knew what to do when Torak was upset or confused.

As he thought of those closest to him with longing, his mind wandered and landed on Renn once again, as it always did. The beautiful face he pictured turned sour as she glared at him. He recalled their conversation and the burning in his chest felt unbearable.

Torak buried his face in his hands and broke down.


	6. Chapter 6

**Ugh I'm so sorry there was a technical problem when I first posted this, I didn't realise until someone told me in a review. Thank you for letting me know! Enjoy**

ooooo

They dragged the dugout up the river bank and left it in some bushes, before heading into the dense forest that grew where the valley flattened out.

The two of them hadn't talked at all on the journey, and though Leos had wanted to ask her how she was feeling, he thought it better to give her some space.

In silence they walked through the tall trees of oak and birch, listening out for any signs of prey and occasionally stopping to examine prints on the forest floor. Birds chattered and flitted from branch to branch, following them through the trees. As they walked he began to converse with her about the hunt, and things returned to normal after a while. He could tell she was still upset by what had happened, so he didn't mention it, but he was glad he was able to take her mind of it for a little while.

He had to admit that he had been frightened of Torak's angry reaction. Leos had expected the spirit walker's rage to escalate, and then spill into an unstoppable rampage of destruction using fantastical spiritual powers he couldn't begin to imagine. He was utterly relieved when nothing happened and he and Renn escaped unharmed. Though he was a little confused – if the spirit walker's power was so great, why didn't he use it against him when they fought? He would have definitely won.

Despite what Renn had told him during their time together, he could see that Torak still cared about her a lot, if his jealous reaction was anything to go by. He was very confused why the other man didn't initiate anything romantic with Renn or ask her to be his mate, when he was so obviously attracted to her. If he was in the spirit walker's shoes, he wouldn't hesitate to lavish attention on the redhead.  
He had previously thought maybe Torak was nervous around Renn, but now he wasn't so sure. It seemed to him like there was something else, something heavy weighing on the other man's mind that was preventing him from acting.

Leos wondered what could be preventing the spirit walker from taking Renn as his mate – perhaps it was related to his powers? He decided he would report all of this to Kanuk. He would not be surprised to learn either that the spirit walker's weakness was most definitely the redhead.

The trees began to thin out and they found themselves looking out over a large, grassy meadow that stretched into the distance to become large flat steeps. Straining his eyes he could make out a grazing herd of forest horses far to the south, enjoying the pasture. It was covered in blossoming wildflowers and low-lying shrubs. Insects buzzed about and golden pollen floated in the air. As Leos was admiring the summery scenic view, he heard a sharp twang of a bowstring beside him and saw a fat duck drop out of the sky onto a patch of buttercups about 50 paces ahead.

He turned and grinned at Renn, an idea already forming in his head of how to cheer her up. 'Fancy a picnic?'

ooooo

Leos picked at his teeth with a sharp bone from the duck, feeling completely relaxed and content after their feast. The bones and useful remains to be taken back to camp were stored in his rawhide bag, and the meat of the duck had been graciously distributed between their stomachs.

The two of them were lying side by side by the remains of the cooking fire, digesting their meal and enjoying the warming sunshine on their faces. A patch of grass had been flattened where they sat, but around their resting spot the wild grasses rippled gently in the slight breeze.

'I can't believe I've never heard of cooking duck like that. It was delicious.' He said to Renn, remembering the way she'd wrapped it in grass, then covered it in mud, then allowed the embers of the fire to cook it through. In the Bear clan they simply roasted it on a spit like most of their game.

'Thanks,' she murmured sleepily, he heard the smile in her voice.

Leos propped his head up on his hand, leaning on his elbow as he looked down at Renn. She was about a pace away from him, curled up snugly in the grass amongst the flowers. Her hair lay in loose waves about her white face, and her eyelashes brushed her cheeks softly as she dozed in the sunshine.

Leos longed to reach and caress her tattooed cheek, but he knew he couldn't yet. The hug had already been enough. Since he first met her, he'd been entranced, but he was now sure that his attraction ran a lot deeper than that. Torak was a complete fool to deliberately keep his distance from her, whatever his reason was. If Renn was his, he would give her the love and attention she deserved.

Since she and Torak had arrived at their camp, they had spent their days together. Initially it had been so he could gather information on the spirit walker, but very quickly he began to find her a far more interesting topic. They'd talked about everything under the sun, and he found that she was quickly becoming his new favourite person. Leos had been surprised to learn that she was talented in Magecraft, but her intriguing skills made him all the more curious. A few sleeps ago he'd even shown her the Bear clan sacred cave, and taught her how to paint the great animals of the forest using pigments from the rocks, an honour for any member of the clan.

She shifted position a little and again he admired her curvaceous form. Her ample chest, narrow waist and broad, rounded hips struck a deep, resonating primal chord within him. As a young man in his prime who hadn't mated for 9 summers, the mere thought of being intimate with Renn filled him with unbelievable amounts of amorous desire. Again he had to restrain himself from reaching out to touch her.

Compared to the spirit walker who was no more than 18 and still a thin and wiry youth, he was sure he could outperform him as a more worthy mate. He was older, stronger, wiser, not to mention the leader of a clan. Additionally, she would be safe with him, he could provide for her and ensure she was well looked after.

As these thoughts entered his mind, he realised that he was already thinking of asking her to become his mate. A warm feeling spread through his chest at the thought.

What would she say if I asked her? He thought. It was still her decision, whether he was more worthy than Torak or not. He couldn't predict what Renn would say and he knew she was still upset from the argument before, so he decided not to ask her yet. But in time, he would.

His thoughts drifted pleasantly to the hug they'd shared earlier, which had been the first time he'd shown affection to her. He was still overjoyed that she'd returned his embrace just as tightly. He recalled the feeling of Renn's soft body pressed against his, her bare arms around his naked back and the sweet smell of her skin...

Renn sleepily blinked open her eyes, immediately landing on Leos. Her face heated up as she saw his darkened amber eyes roaming her body. Leos eventually realised she was staring back at him and averted his gaze quickly. He cleared his suddenly dry throat and crossed his legs as best he could, mentally praying to the world spirit that she didn't glance down.

'Um... I'm going to get some more water.' He nimbly got to his feet, grabbed the waterskin and moved off through the high grass towards the stream, walking as casually as he could muster.

ooooo

Renn watched curiously as the embarrassed-looking shirtless man disappeared quickly from view. Her body felt tingly and warm, and her heart was pumping loudly in her ears. The look in his eyes had sent a shot of heat to her stomach. She mused it must be the effect of the sun and the good food.

Renn rolled onto her front and began lazily picking at flower petals in front of her. She watched ladybirds amble up green blades of grass, and crickets hopping after each other in the underbrush. Fat fluffy dandelions swayed in the breeze, and meadowsweet flowers bobbed with the weight of bumblebees on their backs. Renn closed her eyes again, trying to rest – but every time she saw Torak's face and their argument played out again and again in horrid vivid detail. She was so confused by his reaction. She would have thought he wouldn't have cared, but he was livid when he saw them together.

_'I do have a claim on you!'_

Then why don't you do anything about it you stupid boy? She thought irritably.

She realised in her vexation she had squashed the flower she was holding. The limp red clover was bent and bruised. Dismally, Renn observed how it reflected her own emotional state.

She should try to talk to him again; Renn knew Torak was probably not thinking straight when they argued. But as much as she knew they needed a heart to heart about their relationship, she couldn't face him just yet. She knew by now that he didn't want to be her mate. His reaction earlier was probably just him being protective over me since he's my friend.

_Yes_! She thought as the obvious knowledge dawned on her. _That must be it_. _Torak's just acting possessive because I'm his best friend, like a brother would. That's the reason he rebuked my advances, yet still wants to travel with me – he just wants to be friends._

Oh.

As the meaning of her realisation hit her, Renn's heart broke.

She curled up in the grass, hugging herself as hot desperate tears began to flow down her cheeks. Months of confusion and anguish and this was the answer she'd been dreading. A whimper escaped her lips.

He doesn't love me. He never will. I must have looked so stupid to him!

She covered her hand with her mouth, trying to hold in the shaking sobs that threatened to burst the serenity of the setting she was in. Her aching chest felt constricted, almost painfully tight as the truth assaulted her from all sides.

Renn's throat and eyes burned with raw, ardent emotion. Once she started crying, she couldn't stop. She knew Leos was about to come back, but she couldn't restrain the body-shaking sobs escaping her throat. All she could think about was a future with no mate, no love, no babies – just her and Torak wandering aimlessly forever, her affections utterly unrequited.

She was still trying to reign in her emotions when Leos appeared, smiling cheerfully with the filled waterskin in hand.

The second he saw her despairing state, he immediately dropped to her side and placed his comforting hands on her shaking shoulders, easing her up into a sitting position. 'Renn, are you alright?'

She nodded dumbly, ashamed of the tears that she let fall so rarely. Angrily she tried to brush them away and wipe at her nose, but before she could, the man next to her gathered her in for another hug.  
She tensed, but the comfort of his warm arms and reassuring presence made her sink into his embrace for a second time. She rested her cheek on his hard chest whilst he rubbed soothing circles onto her back. She tried to remove Torak from her mind to calm herself, and instead focused on Leos' sturdy presence. He didn't need to question her to know why she was upset, he simply held her and let her vent out her anguish.

After a while, the tears became sniffs, then they ceased all together. Leos still held her snugly in his arms, with his chin resting on the top of her head. Renn thought she should get up and apologise for having to see her like that, but she didn't want to leave the one comfort she had left.  
This is what it must feel like to be properly hugged by your lover, she thought. Whenever she and Torak hugged in the past, it was beautiful but brief – he'd always pull away after a few moments. But she'd been in Leos' arms for far longer, and he didn't seem to mind at all. Absent-mindedly, she placed her hand on his pectoral muscle: smooth and unblemished, unlike Torak's scarred chest.

'I think I've realised that Torak only wants to be friends with me. That's why he was so angry earlier. He was just being possessive of his best friend,' she breathed, not even knowing if he heard her.

'Mm' he hummed in agreement, 'I can see that too.' Hearing it confirmed by another made it all the more real, and for a second she had to fight the emotions down that surged to the surface. He spoke again, 'you should probably find someone else to love Renn, I can tell you won't be getting it from him.'

She swallowed. 'But even if he'll never love me back – I can't leave him. He'll be so lonely.'

'Renn look at me.' He moved her back and she looked up into his warm liquid brown eyes. His face was close and his expression earnest as he spoke quietly to her. 'You can't follow him around your whole life, you've got to make choices for yourself that make you happy – and you won't be happy with unrequited love, trust me. You have to set yourself free.'

She didn't like being told what to do, but there was truth in his words. She looked away and considered it. Though the option would've seemed inconceivable a few moons ago, if she did decide to leave Torak – what would she do then? Go back to the Ravens and find a mate? Stay with the Bears and find a mate?

He spoke again, gently placing his hand on her bare shoulder. 'If you feel like you have no options, remember you have a home here, with the Bears. With me.'

'Thank you,' she replied, though she still sounded glum. 'I'll think about it.'

Renn rested her head back on his firm chest and he held her close. Her head hurt and she didn't feel her usual strong spirited self. Her defences were down and she just wanted someone to hold her whilst she thought everything over, even if it was for a little while.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for the new reviews! It makes me so happy to know you are enjoying this story. It was difficult to write Wolf's dialogue in this chap without any suggestion of the future, so sorry if he doesn't sound entirely himself at some parts. Enjoy! **

ooooo

The Bright White Eye watched Wolf as raced over the forest ridge, hurtling past herds of deer and forest horses before they even knew he was there. Boars snorted in alarm as he ran through their path, and foxes darted away the second they caught his dangerous predator scent. Wolf's lean muscles flexed in a continuous harmony and his pads bit into the earth repeatedly as he sped through the trees, eager to reach his pack-brother.

He felt the mysterious pull in his fur, like the pull of the Mountain or the pull of the Den used to have on him. He hadn't felt the sensation in a long time, but as the sun was setting that night as he was putting the cubs to bed, his ears twitched and that certainty that came to him at times hit him full in the snout. Lowering his ears and wagging his tail in apology, he had sped away from Darkfur and his beloved cubs, because he knew without a doubt that Tall Tailless _needed him._

Stopping for a brief moment, he cast his muzzle up into the night air to regain his pack-brother's unique and well-loved scent. It was faint, but traceable. He could also detect hints of the pack sister, and many other new and strange smelling Taillesses.  
His hackles rose and he peeled back his black lips to show his fangs when he also caught the putrid scent of demon far in the distance. But there was something strange about the smell that he couldn't put his paw on. It didn't smell like the demons he had hunted before, nor the strange Tailless demon cubs. Maybe the strange demon was the reason his pack-brother needed his help!

Picking up the pace again, he loped down through the dense vegetation, swerving and leaping around fallen logs and thick prickly bushes. The forest was thick and crowded with new spring foliage, but his narrow body wound through even the most impenetrable thickets with ease.

When the Bright White Eye was far across its nightly journey in the Up, he eventually reached his beloved pack-brother near a camp full of sleeping Taillesses that stank of Bear. But before he approached him, he realised that his scent was all churned up. He could sense that Tall Tailless was very sad and confused, but to his surprise it was not because of the strange demon – it was because of the pack-sister.

Wolf decided to sneak up and pounce on his pack-brother to make him happy, then he would yip and yowl in Tailless talk and everything would be better. He'd chase the demon away and retrieve the pack-sister, and then he would return home to his family with everyone happy and all problems resolved.

ooooo

After being knocked off his feet by a large blur of grey and russet fur, Torak had thought himself under attack until he realised that demon's weren't fluffy.

'Wolf!' he cried out in joy as his pack-brother covered his face in ardent licks and nibble-greetings, lashing his tail with delight. He buried his face in Wolf's scruff and breathed in that familiar, fresh smell, laughing at the ecstatic greeting from his friend.

After they had calmed down, Torak fed him some lingonberries from his pouch and they sat down together at the base of a tree. As Wolf snuffled them up from his palm, Torak was reminded of when Renn would feed him the juicy red berries, knowing they were his favourite. His dismal mood from before returned. Even seeing Wolf could only cheer him up for so long.

At his change in mood, his pack-brother looked up at him and flicked an ear. '_Why are you sad?'_

Torak leant back against the tree trunk. He didn't really feel like talking about it. The feelings that were consuming him were so complicated and so utterly human that Wolf wouldn't understand even if he could tell him everything. He decided to avoid the question.

'_Why have you come to see me pack-brother?_'

Wolf's answer was a little unclear to him, but he could make out something about being '_needed_.'

'_There is a demon near. Can you track it?_' Torak asked, his hopes lifting. If Wolf could trace it, then he wouldn't have to spirit walk to find it.

'_Yes. Strange demon smell is near. Great Wet swallows some smell but it still can be followed_.'

Torak's hopes soared. Finally, some progress! He was about to ask Wolf to lead him to the demon smell, but his pack-brother's eyes had changed subtly. The light of the mysterious guide glowed deep within him. Again Wolf asked with a flick of his ear, '_why are you sad?_'

Torak cast his gaze downward. He still didn't really want to talk about it, but it must be important enough to Wolf for him to ask him as the guide. Despite his ability to talk wolf, he was unsure of how to reply when his answer was so un-wolf. He wouldn't be able to the whole truth, because wolves can't talk about the future.

_'I am confused about pack-sister,'_ he replied at length.

'_What has the pack-sister done?_'

'_She now runs with another Tailless. I am happy because she is free of danger, but sad because she is not with me_.'

Wolf rubbed his flank against Torak's side in a comforting gesture. '_Pack-brother, do not worry. Take back the pack-sister._'

'_I cannot_.' Torak struggled in his translating, none of his explanations made much sense without a concept of the future. '_She becomes not-breath because of me_.'

Wolf whined, evidently not understanding, but the light of the guide was still golden in his round eyes. '_Pack-sister is breath in the Now. Live in the Now._ _Fight the rival male Tailless and win to make pack-sister your mate_.'

Torak wished he could follow Wolf's simple advice, but he couldn't just 'live in the now', when the future was so impending. If it was as simple as Wolf imagined, he would happily fight of Leos and take Renn to be his mate. But the world didn't work like that for humans.  
He remembered Wolf's grief when he had thought Darkfur had been killed by Eostra. If he took Renn as his mate and she died because of his enemies – he wouldn't be able to go on without her.

_'I cannot. I want pack-sister to be happy. Pack-sister is not happy with me as her mate._'

'_You are wrong. The pack-sister is your soul-mate_.'

Torak was astonished. Soul-mate? Didn't that need an understanding of the future, not to mention abstract concepts, to understand? Suddenly the mysterious glow in Wolf's bright eyes seemed to belong to something far greater than Torak previously thought.

Swallowing hard and trying not to stare too long into Wolf's eyes for fear of being rude, he replied, '_how do you know she is my soul-mate?_'

Again his answer was unclear, but Torak could understand Wolf from the many times he had said the same thing in the past, '_I just know_.' Wolf continued when Torak couldn't form a reply, '_The rival male Tailless who smells of Bear is not pack-sister's soul mate_. _Nor was the pale-pelt who smelt of Seal._ _Do not lose the pack-sister. The two of you are the same breath. Same soul.'_

Wolf stood and stretched beside him, his tongue lolling out and his fur illuminated silver in the moonlight. He looked so casual yet and the magnitude of his message had Torak reeling. How could he possibly know all this? If he thought he had been confused before, he was even more puzzled now. He'd never heard Wolf talk so much nor be so cryptic.

'_What do you want me to do now pack-brother?_'

Wolf turned to face him, looking completely assured in his answer: '_Hunt the demon, chase the Tailless who stinks of Bear, mate the pack-sister_,' Torak couldn't figure out the last part, something along the lines of, '_many Tailless cubs_.'

Torak smiled a little at the suggestion of his and Renn's 'cubs'. A glimmer of hope rose at interpreting Wolf's messages. Maybe Renn and he really were meant to be together, and maybe it would all work out somehow. When Wolf became the guide, he was driven by something all-knowing and ancient, a force that helped him defeat the Soul Eaters and restore balance to the forest. Did that also mean it somehow knew of his destiny involving Renn? It's true he wouldn't have been able to save the clans without her. Did this mean there more danger in store for them, so they had to stick together?

The thought of battling more evil in the future reminded him of his original reason for not sharing his love with Renn. She wouldn't be safe with him.

Wolf spoke before he could somehow voice his doubts. '_Do not worry my pack-brother. I know of danger. Darkfur has been in danger, so have the cubs. That is the way. But, always I live in the Now. You must live in the Now.'_

Torak sat up straight and looked Wolf straight in the eyes, not caring if he was being polite or not. The golden glow of the guide was so _sure_, so _steady_. It was like looking into the deep timeless depths of the sea, except that it was as golden as sunlight shining through a perfect chunk of amber. Wolf stared straight back at him, and Torak was mesmerised by the open assuredness of his gaze. It was like warm water washing away dirt, it felt almost cleansing. Somehow, his doubts seemed to clear like clouds washed away by rain. He realised everything Wolf was telling him was completely true.

As soon as his mind recovered from his realisation, it felt like a colossal weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Wolf was right, and he had been wrong. He couldn't let her leave him, they were meant for each other. He would have never survived their battles with the Soul Eaters in the past if it wasn't for her. He would surely be dead, and so would she. Their destinies were entwined; so much so that the spirits told him themselves through the light of the guide. There was no doubt about it.

Torak nodded to himself, processing his new thoughts. He had to live in the now – that was what mattered. The guide had shown him that in the end everything dies, but he would rather die having loved her than to die alone. Wolf loved Darkfur, yet she had been in danger, and he was still happy and with her and their litter of cubs.  
Torak vowed to himself then that he would do everything in his power to protect her, like he had always done. If it came to the worst, he would give his life for her in a heartbeat.

Wolf licked his cheek and Torak smiled. They'd both survived the Soul Eaters for seven years – what could be worse than that?

With fresh resolve he planned that immediately he had to take Renn back. Torak had to confess his love and beg her forgiveness for his foolishness. He would explain everything honestly to her, and then they would be mates. He was ready to be with Renn, he couldn't believe how ready he was.

And he was not about to let some Bear take her away from him.

Jumping to his feet, he grabbed his Fa's slate knife from the ground and tucked it into his belt.

Torak's heart hammered in his chest and he broke into a grin. Wolf wagged his tail, and bounded over to stand loyally at Torak's side. The golden light was gone, but Wolf was still here, still as assuring as ever.

Torak scratched at his ears._ 'You are right pack-brother. Thank you.' _

'_Now we retrieve the pack-sister and hunt the demon together._'

'_Yes._' Torak clenched his fists, filled with motivation and purpose. '_Let's go_.'


	8. Chapter 8

The sun low on the dusky horizon as Renn walked back to the Bear camp with her collecting basket in hand. It was filled to the brim with a variety of spring berries, and she was glad to be helping the Bear Clan gather for the new season. She was glad to be doing anything.

After she and Leos had returned from their hunt, he had suggested she retire early for bed. But, wanting to keep busy to avoid her thoughts, she had gone out to forage. She had seen him enter the Mage's hut as she was leaving.

Noticing another cloudberry bush in the thick forest glen, Renn bent over to pick at the juicy red berries, adding them to the basket and humming quietly as she did so. It was nice to get a bit of time to herself, though Leos' company did make her feel a lot better about her failings with Torak.

She bit her lip. _Don't think about him!_

Humming a fraction louder than before, she continued plucking the ripe red berries.

She did not notice the sound of an approaching figure behind her until it was too late.

A strong man wrapped an arm around her middle, and their other hand went straight to her mouth, clamping down so that her screams were muffled by the calloused skin.

The basket of berries dropped from her hand, scattering her afternoon's work over the forest floor.

Renn thrashed and screamed, blind panic fuelled her limbs with energy and she violently kicked and tore at the attacker, but there was something strange-smelling on his hands that turned her limbs to water. Sluggishly, she tried to turn to see who her captor was, but her head felt incredibly heavy on her neck. She struggled to keep her eyes open, and within moments she felt her body become completely limp in his grasp.

Her eyelids dropped closed, and the last thing she felt was being hoisted over the shoulder of the stranger as he moved off through the forest.

ooooo

Later that night, Torak strode into the Bear camp with his pack-brother by his side. Fuelled from his talk with Wolf, he intended to talk to Renn and confess his love, then he would ask her to be his mate. If she said no, then he would fight for her. He would prove that he loved her and he was worthy of her.

Puffing out his chest and preparing to wake her and tell her the good news, he lifted the flap of their shared shelter.

He squinted in the dark. Why wasn't the fire lit? Normally they left it smouldering away through the night. It always offered them a little light to see by in case of emergencies, and often gave him the opportunity to see her peaceful sleeping face when he knew she couldn't catch him staring.  
He blindly prodded where Renn normally slept; expecting to feel her sleeping body, but all he felt was her soft fur sleeping sack. Confused, and fighting down a bad feeling deep in the pit of his stomach, he felt around the rest of the shelter, but found nothing.

He stood outside and Wolf nosed him on the hand, '_pack-sister is not here_.'

'_Where has she gone_?'

Wolf lifted his muzzle to the sky, then down to the ground. He snuffled inside the shelter for a few moments, before turning and moving towards Leos' shelter.

Torak felt as if a red hot coal had been dropped in the pit of his stomach. She was sleeping in Leos' shelter with him?

Sexual images appeared in his mind before he could stop it. He saw the handsome ponytailed clan leader roughly mating his beautiful Renn, their limbs entangled and their skin sweaty as they moved together. His blood boiled. How dare he take advantage of her! You can't take a woman before an official mating ceremony!

He was about to explode from anger and jealousy, ready to rip open the entrance flap and haul Renn away when Wolf walked straight past the shelter, still snuffling the ground, ignoring Torak's emotional state.

Torak watched with wide eyes as Wolf reached the boundary of the camp and continued to the edge of the forest. He looked back at Torak, his busy tail taut and his fur fluffed up. He signalled to him to hurry up. '_The pack-sister is not far_!'

Torak let out a huge breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Of course she wouldn't be in Leos' tent. They'd only hugged; she wouldn't go so eagerly with him. How could he think that of her? Reassuring himself more than was probably necessary, he was about to follow Wolf, but then out of curiosity, he moved aside the fur door flap of the leader's shelter. His fire wasn't lit either, and there was no sign of him inside.

Torak turned to view the other Bear shelters. In each there was a faint glow of a hearth fire, except in Renn's and Leos'. An uneasy feeling settled on him. Where were they?

He remembered the hug he'd seen them share earlier, and the hunting trip they'd taken that afternoon. Dread gnawed at his insides. Just because they weren't in the shelter together, didn't mean they weren't together somewhere else. What if they didn't come back at all? What if they'd run away together?! He wanted to scan the ground for any footprints, but it was too dark.

He raced up to Wolf.

'_Are the pack-sister and the rival male who smells of Bear together_?'

'_Their scents are mixed together. But they come from different paths_.'

Maybe a shared meeting point? Torak's mind raced. She'd been so angry with him at midday during their fight. What if they really had eloped? Was it right of him to chase after her when she'd already made up her mind to leave him, without even saying goodbye?

Anger flashed suddenly through his taut veins. It was _his _fault she was going off with that bastard, and he was going to get his woman back, no matter what. Regaining his earlier resolve, the young man clenched his fists, and followed Wolf through the moonlit forest.

Wolf followed Renn's scent trail, saying he could also smell another male who stank of Bear, whose scent was mingled with the pack-sisters. Torak was distressed to hear Wolf communicate also that there was evidence in their shared smell of a skirmish, as well as fear and the strange demon smell. Just what had happened? And who was this third male?

Eventually, they reached the water's edge. Torak recognised the river bank as the place the demon tracks had vanished into the first time he was tracking it. In the low, clean light of dawn, Torak could not see any fresh demon tracks here. Wolf lifted his muzzle again, and set off east parallel to the river.

They walked until it was almost dawn. Torak was exhausted from his emotional turmoil, lack of sleep and lack of food, but he was relentless in his determination to find Renn and the demon. Wolf didn't seem tired at all, but eager to reach the pack-sister, often racing ahead and then doubling back to wait for Torak to catch up on his slower legs.

Eventually, as the sun rose as a shimmering egg yellow disk on the horizon, they reached a large waterfall. Its rocky banks were steep and covered with treacherous moss and algae. It would be a difficult climb for Torak, let alone Wolf. Grinding his teeth in frustration, he knew that they had to head north to find a way around the waterfall to continue heading east.

He started north, but his pack-brother tugged insistently at his jerkin, urging him back. Surprised, Torak turned and said to him, '_we cannot go that way. Must find a way around._'

_'No. Pack-sister is inside. Must go through._'

Torak looked at him quizzically. How can she be inside the waterfall? '_I do not understand._'

_'Follow.'_ Wolf turned from him and headed towards the rocky banks. The water was flowing fast and heavy with spring glacial melt from further north. It could easily knock them from the rocks and throw them down into the rocks at the base of the waterfall.

He watched nervously as Wolf carefully skirted along the sheer wall of rock, heading straight for the vicious wall of water. He expected any moment to hear him yelp and see him slip on a patch of algae. Remarkably, Wolf continued on his route, until he was almost behind the wall of water. He looked at Torak and urged him to follow.

Torak removed his beaver hide boots and tied them to his belt. With better grip, he followed the path Wolf took, clinging to the rock face and stepping carefully on the slimy, slippery surface. As he neared the waterfall' full force, he saw with astonishment what he couldn't see from where he was standing before.

Behind the wall of water, the rock ledge didn't stop. It continued further into the rock face, and he could almost make out a dark space, like a cave, at the very back. He could no longer see wolf, or hear him over the thunder of the water. Torak edged around the water and finally made it as far as the wall would go. The space behind the wall of water was small and had a bluish tinge, it glimmered with white reflections of the water's movements below and behind him. Wolf was standing, waiting for him at the mouth of a small cave.

There was a lip of solid rock at the Cave floor, which Torak stood on as he pulled on his boots. Wolf looked at him excitedly. Evidently, the demon and Renn were inside the rock of the waterfall somewhere.

If I hadn't had Wolf, thought Torak, I would never have guessed this was here. It was so well hidden by the torrent of water that no one would have ever known. He thanked Wolf for finding it, and again wondered at the strange powers of the guide. There was no question that without Wolf, he would not know where Renn had gone.

The entrance was lower than Torak's height, and he had to bend over to enter it. Holding a rush light in one hand and Wolf's scruff in the other, they entered the cave tunnel were swallowed once again into the bowels of the earth.

ooooo

Renn gradually became aware of her surroundings, though her head felt heavy and thick, as though it had been stuffed full of moss. Blinking in the dim light, she noticed several flaming torches around her, but darkness above. Was it night? Confused, she tried to sit up, but found her hands and ankles tied. Blinking slowly, she tried to look around, but it was very dark and the torches did little to break the black veil.

'Torak?' she asked the still air tentatively. Her voice sounded far away and strange. Where was she?

As her head began to clear a little, she remembered.

Renn's heart hammered in her chest as her surroundings took on meaning. She pulled at her bindings, trying to think clearly and escape without drawing attention. She didn't know where her kidnapper was. Her arms felt numb from being held above her head, and her body was still slow from the strange substance he'd forced her to breathe. It must have been a sleeping concoction of some sort, she thought, and a potent one at that. She'd never known such a strong mix.

Despite trying to keep calm, after realising her bindings were not coming off, she began to panic. Who was it that took her? It wasn't a demon, it had felt like a strong man. Her mind flashed to Leos, but she pushed the thought away. It couldn't be him. Then another thought struck her – maybe it was the Bear Mage? But why would he want to kidnap me? She thought.

It appeared suddenly out of her peripheral vision, but she didn't know how long it had been there.

A red mask framed by a black humped shape appeared at the end of the altar on which she lay. Renn took one look at the, horned, sharp-toothed devil face and screamed with all the air in her lungs.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you for the reviews so far, I am very happy you're enjoying it!**

**ooooo**

Torak heard Renn's shrill scream reverberating through the narrow tunnel, bouncing harshly between rock walls and echoing off behind him into the dark. His immediate response to run to her aid was only suppressed with great difficulty. The tunnel he was following with Wolf was one of many in a labyrinth of passages, if he ran, he could end up lost and no help to her at all. Torak needed to stick close to Wolf to know where Renn had gone.

Trotting and occasionally pausing to sniff the hot stagnated cave air, Wolf moved through the winding passages with haste. The stifling air of the cave was almost totally silent, except for the distant roar of the waterfall at its entrance, and Torak's heart hammering.

He refrained from touching the walls of the tunnel either side him as he followed his pack-brother, afraid of feeling the sickly heat of the otherworld emanating out of them. Torak's last experience in a cave was something he didn't want to dwell on. He kept expecting to hear a hoot of an eagle owl, even though the Soul Eaters were long gone. He swallowed, his mouth felt dry.

Wolf stopped so suddenly that Torak almost tripped over him. His hackles were up, and his pointed ears flat against his head. A low growl ripped from his throat. Torak felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, though there was no breeze.

He held the torch out in front of him, but all he could see in front of Wolf was obsidian darkness. Whatever he was growling at was there, shrouded in the dark, only a few paces away from them.

After a long tense moment, Wolf relaxed a little and continued forwards in a trot. His fur was still fluffed up, but his stance was normal and his ears erect. Torak released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and quickly followed after him, not wanting to be left behind in the deep black of the cave. He would have looked to examine the tracks, but the hard rock ground would have given little evidence. It was likely that they'd find out soon enough anyway. Whatever got Wolf so defensive must have fled.

Torak tried to ask Wolf what he had sensed, but he only replied that it was a '_strange demon'_.

After they had continued on for a while, Wolf stopped again, but this time he turned to Torak with an urgent look in his amber eyes.

_'Must rescue Tailless pups. Demons are near.'_

Before Torak could form a reply, Wolf had sped off down an adjacent tunnel into the darkness. Tailless pups? Were the children the demon stole nearby? A hope grew in his chest; he prayed to the World Spirit that they were safe and unharmed, though he doubted it.

Alone in the claustrophobic tunnel, and unable to see more than a few paces ahead or behind, Torak tried to shake off his nerves and continue. He gripped Fa's knife, taking courage in the blade that had served him well, and continued down the tunnel, trying to keep to the main path and not veer off into any side tunnels. He hoped he was on the right track, without Wolf to guide him, he didn't know where he was going, and all the paths looked identical.

He heard some noises, and thought they were coming from up ahead, though it was impossible to tell when the sound echoed through the chambers. Straining his ears, he could just about make out two voices, one lower pitch than the other. He crept forward, and when he saw light ahead, snuffed out his torch.

ooooo

Renn squirmed on the altar, trying hopelessly to escape the tall bearded man who stood towering over her. When he had removed the red mask, she had thought at first Thiazzi had risen from the dead to kill her. But the torchlight only made his hair and bristling beard appear russet – the stocky brown haired man watching her with sharp, gleaming eyes was Kanuk.

He didn't seem to be in any rush to hurt her, though she could see a large slate knife was attached to his belt. The Mage almost seemed relaxed as he leaned against the table, evidently waiting for something. Despite the fact he hadn't harmed her, she knew that he could, and probably would. Her exposed stomach made her feel utterly vulnerable to attack. Her weapons were gone, including the beaver tooth dagger she kept in her boot. She could feel from the bindings on her ankles that she had no shoes on.

For a long time, neither of them spoke, and nothing could be heard but the splutter of the torches, and the faint roar of water far above. She looked up at him, taking in his elaborate clothing and bearskin cloak. Their eyes met for one awful moment and she quickly glanced away. Kanuk didn't feel the need to speak to her, and Renn was too frightened. But, after a while, her usual outspoken confidence began to return. If he was waiting for something, he wouldn't hurt her until then, and she was burning with questions that needed answers.

'Why have you kidnapped me? Are you the demon?'

'Silence woman. This does not involve you.' His ochre face paint made his dark eyes stand out vividly as he looked down at her with a distasteful expression.

Renn was undeterred. 'It clearly does if you've had to kidnap me. What's going on?'

The broad shouldered Mage was about to strike her to make her silent, when he realised something that should have been blatantly obvious to him before. Lowering his fist, he studied her face intently, as if seeing the redhead for the first time. Her sharp dark eyes, high cheekbones and her creamy pale skin, almost translucent in quality, triggered a memory from long ago.

The Mage almost reeled when the pieces came together in his mind with startling force. This girl was Raven Clan, 18 summers old, niece of Fin-Kedinn, and companion of the spirit walker...the two of them had defeated the Soul Eaters. Why hadn't he realised it before?

Renn squirmed beneath his sudden scrutiny and felt her heart race when a malevolent grin spread across the Mage's face. Dark eyes seemed to pierce her, as if he knew something he shouldn't.

'Oh this is surely a sign from the World Spirit himself!' he cried into the cavernous space, throwing his arms up as his booming baritone echoed all around.

Renn flinched at his volume, feeling immediately like he had seen into her darker secrets. She spoke again with more confidence than she felt, 'what's a sign? What are you talking about?'

'Why don't we wait for Torak to join us first? Come in here boy. Don't be shy.'

Renn tried to turn in the direction the Mage was looking, restricted by the twine ropes that held her in place. In the pitch darkness of the far cave wall, she saw a figure emerge from the shadows and her hope leapt wildly with the chance of rescue. Then, she remembered with a tumbling feeling that if Torak was here – he was in far more danger than her.  
She caught a glimpse of him moving closer, standing tall with his Fa's knife in hand, his tawny skin a deep tan in the firelight. His dark unruly hair, dirty clothes and angry expression gave him a savage look that opposed the elaborately dressed and decorated presence of Kanuk. He looked straight at her, and Renn had to fight back her emotions at seeing him again. The last time they'd seen each other had been during their fight.

She glanced again at the large slate knife on Kanuk's belt, and shouted a warning to Torak, though she knew he had already guessed their predicament, and didn't care anyway.

'Get out of here! Torak he's going to kill you!'

'And yet he cares so much for you that he's willingly walks straight into it.' Kanuk smirked. 'I knew Leos was a reliable source.'

'Leos? What have you done to him?' Righteous anger flared in Renn's heart. It was one thing to involve her and Torak in his schemes – but Leos was a good man and didn't deserve whatever the Mage had done to him. Horrible scenes flashed though her mind, of innocent Leos being tortured for information. Her chest contracted painfully at the thought of him harmed. 'What have you done?'

'Nothing at all. I simply asked him to spend time with you to gather information on the spirit walker, and to find out how best to harness his unimaginable power. He told me himself just the other day that the best route to get the boy to do my bidding – is through using you my dear.'

Torak, who hadn't spoken since he arrived, was stunned by this information. Was it true that Leos didn't feel at all for Renn? Was it all an act to get information? Though he couldn't know for sure, if it was true then there was no one standing between them anymore. He spoke up, wanting to get to the route of the problem fast.

'Are you the demon, Kanuk?'

The Bear Mage threw his hands up with dramatic flair, 'what does that matter now? None of it is important! The spirit walker walking right into my camp – that is what matters! The fact you found the entrance to the cave, with the help of your wolf totem – that is what is important here!'

'Did you plan this somehow? Is that why Leos invited us?' Torak asked, struggling to work out the reasoning behind the Mage's words.

'No, that was pure chance, chance given to me by the World Spirit. Can you believe my fortune that you, of all the people in the great forest, would end up here with me?' Kanuk's dark eyes were sparkling, remembering his initial discovery. 'My brothers and sisters would have been proud. It is surely a sign from the spirits.'

'What do you want?' Renn asked curtly, cutting into his passionate monologue.

'That is a good question. It's simple really,' he took his large slate knife and unsheathed it, tenderly feeling the smoothness of the blade in his hands. Then, he ran the jagged tip gently down Renn's quivering stomach, watching Torak with the intensity of an eagle as he did so. 'You are to surrender your powers to me by allowing me to summon a demon into your body. If you refuse,' he pressed down on the knife hard enough for Renn to gasp.

Torak swallowed. 'What do you hope to achieve from this?'

'Supreme power over all the clans. To control a demon in the body of a spirit walker, nothing will stand in the way. I will unite the clans; the World Spirit will shine on my success. Something my brothers and sisters never quite managed in the end. No thanks to you two.'

Torak met Renn's eyes, and in a silent understanding they realised who this Kanuk really was – a Soul-Eater. A piece of their past they had thought was dead forever was back. Torak had sometimes wondered if any more existed beyond the forest in far off lands, waiting for him to wander from the protection of the clans. He now knew this to be true – if the Bear Mage was one of them, were there more? Would he and Renn ever be safe?

'Is that why you took the children, to turn them into Tokoroth?' Renn asked, her voice shaking with hate. She already knew the answer.

'Yes. The sacred art was taught to me long ago. I was lucky enough to have a _very_ good teacher.' He shot Renn a malicious look and her blood ran cold. She wished she could close her ears; she didn't want to hear anything more about his teacher. 'My very first experiment, ah I remember it well. My own daughter, chosen for the honour. Your half-sister, Renn.'


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry not sorry for that cliffhanger! This chapter answers a lot of our character's questions...**

**ooooo**

Leos held the spluttering pine pitch torch ahead of him, so that the orange glow illuminated the narrow cave tunnel in a flickering, fluttering motion. Every crack and bump in the wall's texture stood out in deep shadow. He heard his own rapid breath and the sound of his heart in his ears. Leos would be lying if he said he wasn't on edge.

He reached another fork in the path. Straining his ears, he heard some commotion that sounded far away, but the source could be from either direction. Going with his instincts he took the left route and set off at a jog.

The young man fervently prayed to the World Spirit that no harm had come to Renn, whom he had come to see as his mate-to-be. Kanuk had promised him the previous evening that she'd be kept safe from any harm whilst he carried out his plan to get the spirit walker to defeat the terrorising demon, but he had been feeling very uneasy since he'd helped the Mage tie her down on the altar. He didn't want to put her in danger; but he had trusted Kanuk – it was for the good of the clan that Torak be captured with her as the bait. Then the demon could be banished back to the otherworld and all would be as it was before. He wanted to be a good leader, he wanted to help Kanuk.

After he'd assisted the Bear Mage, he'd been told to wait in a cave nearby until Kanuk called him. The Mage had said to him, '_under no circumstances must you come back in here Leos. The spirit walker is powerful – and only I, a Mage of many years, have a hope of controlling him and protecting the girl. If you come in, you could very well be killed.'_

But the second he'd heard Renn's scream, obedience fled him and he couldn't be idle anymore. He had to ensure she was alright. In his haste Leos had rushed in the wrong direction – and was now utterly lost in the vast tunnel network, trying desperately to find his way back to the central cave, and the woman he had chosen as his mate.

He reached another fork, and this time took a right, straining his ears and trying not to panic. The passages were identical, and the darkness was absolute. Leos tried not to think of what could be hiding in the deep black that surrounded him, or what could happen if his torch went out.

Leos was about to keep going past an adjacent path on his right, but a faint noise coming from deep within a cave recess stopped him in his tracks. It sounded almost like... a human.  
Fighting off an instinctual urge to flee, Leos stepped cautiously into the tunnel and held the torch out, trying to see down the path, but it was far too dark to make out more than a few paces ahead of him.

Curiously, he stopped again to listen.

Faintly, but undeniably, under the distant roar of the water above and the rush of blood in his ears, he heard a succession of mutterings and wails coming from deep within the rock tunnel. His mind immediately flashed to the stolen children – were they being kept down here? Were they alive?

'Hello? Is anybody down here?' he called down the sloping tunnel, hearing his voice ricochet as it travelled.

Almost immediately a faint reply came echoing back to him, the voice was muffled by the walls, but the desperate urgency could be easily detected in their cry for help.

Leos considered the danger of going down to rescue the stranger, or possible strangers. He knew very well the demon could be wandering about down there. The voice might even be a trick of the monster, trying to draw him closer so that he could be captured as well.

When the voice started to sound as if it were crying and begging for help, Leos knew he could not abandon whoever was down there. He couldn't ignore their cry for help. He started off down the path, gripping his knife in his free hand in case of an attack.

'I'm here to help you, don't worry!'

'Please, please get me out!' the voice became steadily clearer and louder as he made his way in the dark. By now Leos could tell that the voice had a rich quality to it – it was definitely not a child's voice. The young man kept following the sounds, until he found himself in small room. There were several slabs of stone propped up against the wall, and the voice could be heard from the one closest to him.

He pushed with all his might at the slab, until it rolled just enough for him to see inside. The torch illuminated a deep pit dug out of the earth, some ten paces down. Leos looked down incredulously at the sight at the bottom.

A haggard, half dressed man was lying on the muddy ground, staring up at him with red, gummy eyes that mirrored his own disbelief. He was incredibly malnourished, with his bones showing stretched under dirty, unwashed skin. He had a long, unkempt beard and greasy dark hair that went down to his shoulders. He wore filthy leggings as well as a tattered piece of hide so full of rips and tears that it could no longer be called a jerkin. But most intriguing of all were his shoes – strange long pointed shapes that looked to be fashioned out of stiff hide.

'Please tell me – are you real or am I imagining you?' he asked with a voice hoarse from crying out. The look in his eyes was fearful of the answer, yet simultaneously full of wild hope.

'I'm real, don't worry.' Leos was astounded at the existence of this man, so far underground. He had thought the demon only caught children – now there are adults as well? 'Tell me, who put you in here?'

'A huge, evil man, as big as a bear and just as strong. He has never told me what his name is – but he must be a Mage.'

'Kanuk? No, you must be mistaken – he can't have done this. A demon put you here.'

'No, that man put me here. He put it in my head!' he spat out in disgust. With a suddenness that made Leos jump; he violently hit his own head and gripped his scalp with both hands, as if he had a headache.

Leos was anxious and confused, and something was bothering him about the man's feet. Why were his shoes designed like that? They were long and pointed on either end, like a willow leaf. He couldn't stop looking at them.

The demon tracks around the camp.

Suddenly, Leos felt as if he were going to fall forward straight into the muddy pit. The world began to spin a little as the truth assaulted him from all sides. He pointed at the man, barely able to form a sentence.

'You! You're the demon! Your shoes made the tracks! I've seen those marks around camp.'

'Yes, my feet made the tracks. But I'm not the demon – the demon's in my head, that crazed mage put it in me to control me! I can hear it inside me as we speak. I've been living like this for six moons, unable to escape. It's driving me mad, please,' tears began to flow from his eyes and his voice cracked, '_please_, help me.'

Six moons. It was six moons ago when the first children were taken. 'I will, I promise. Just tell me first, how does he control it?'

'He starves me and leaves me in here so I am weak, then he takes me to a big cave and ties me up in a stone circle. After chanting and revealing a glowing red stone, the demon takes over me, and I can't control what I'm doing. I have to see myself taking children, unable to stop myself.' The man was crying now, his voice almost too hoarse to understand what he was saying.

Leos breathed in a long shaky breath, trying to get his head around all this information. If Kanuk was controlling this man to steal children, and convincing the clan it was purely a demon's doing – why was he doing it? And why did he need Torak to defeat the demon when he was the one who created it?

If this man was telling the truth, then Leos realised that he had been completely and utterly deceived by the Bear Mage. He had known Kanuk for as long as he could remember, and betrayal shook him deeply. Before he could dwell too long on his turbulent emotions, he recalled why he had been wandering in the dark in the first place – Renn was in danger. And if this man was being sincere, then she could be in even more danger than he had previously thought.

'I am so sorry that he has done this to you. It's a long story but my future mate and her friend could be in danger, once I get you out do you think you'll be able to find the main cave?'

He nodded, 'I've been there enough times to know the way.'

After some difficulty, Leos managed to hoist the thin man out of the pit, and gave him all of the spare food he carried with him. After wolfing down some strips of dried elk meat, a couple of salmon cakes and a long drink from his water bag, the man instantly gained a bit of colour on his cheeks and a steadier stance. Leos learnt that his name was Dari, that he used to be Bison clan, and lived in the south. He had been on a journey north to meet new clans and trade, before he was captured by Kanuk and brought to the pit.

Dari spoke with earnest gratitude, his mouth still full of salmon cake. 'Thank you so much. I owe you my life.'

'We're not out of here yet.'

As they turned to leave, they heard a commotion coming from down the passage.

Sharing a look of terror, they both froze, and were about to hide in the gloom when a large grey Wolf bounded into their midst, knocking Dari to the ground and baring before him a ferocious, glistening set of fanged white teeth.

Before Leos even had a chance to react to the extraordinary situation, eleven small children came rushing in following after the Wolf. At seeing their leader illuminated by torchlight, they all ran to him, their eyes large and tearful. The children clutched at his jerkin and all tumbled over their words in haste to tell him what had happened to them. Their bodies and clothes were filthy, with the exception of little Dakati who was somewhat cleaner than the others around him.

Momentarily overwhelmed with the scenario Leos tried to calm them and glanced over at Dari, wondering why the children had been chasing the wolf and not the other way round. The man was still on the floor, looking paralysed with fear, but the Wolf was standing above him now, growling at some unseen presence ahead of him in the dark. The large canine snapped his teeth and chased something away, disappearing for a moment into the gloom, before returning with a large smile on his face and his tongue hanging out.

'It's gone!' Dari cried, holding his head in his hands and moving into a sitting position. Leos could barely hear him over the commotion of the children around him, who were still clamouring for his attention.

'What's gone?'

'The demon in my head! I can't hear it any more! The wolf must have scared it away,' he began, looking at the carnivore with a sense of fear and awe, but most of all of gratitude. He stood on his bony, shaky legs and bowed as best he could to the predator.

Leos was still completely stunned from the turn of events and was trying to think of something to say when the grey wolf turned to stare at him dead in the eye. Fighting off his fearful urge to look away, he saw in their golden depths a mysterious assurance. It reminded him of the stillness of a lake. He found himself wondering at that moment whether the wolf was a spirit sent to guide them, perhaps it was part of the spirit walker's magic. The spell broke when the wolf gave a low bark, then suddenly started off down the corridor. The children urged him and tugged at his clothes to make him follow.

The stunned Bear Leader, the exorcised man and the rescued children hurried to follow the wolf.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks for the 20+ reviews so far! Particular thanks to LucyBudgee and Nicky for your encouragement x Enjoy**

**ooooo**

Torak allowed himself to be forced to his knees and restrained with thick twine rope. The Mage wound it tightly around his wrists and ankles, so that the fibres bit into his skin. He was then pushed into the middle of a large circle etched out with deep incision on the cave floor, nearly falling on his face in the process. Torak spat out a little blood from his bruised mouth, and tried to sit up straight, though his head was spinning after the Mage's blows.

Since Kanuk had revealed the fate of Seshru's first daughter, Renn hadn't spoken. She hadn't even cried out when Torak had launched himself at the Mage and tried to bring him down.

Torak stole a glance at Renn's bone white face, and saw her staring into space with unseeing eyes. He tried to push the words out of his mind, but they were etched into his memory like the stone circle encompassing him.

'_Before your mother went off to mate with that Raven Clan man, she gave me the most generous of gifts – my own daughter to turn into a tokoroth. She blessed me with such knowledge.' He brought his face close to her. 'How does it feel Renn? To know your kin used to scuttle around these caves in the night to do my bidding? Of course, she was only the first. The clan children have long since replaced her. My own tokoroth army. How invincible will they be once I add the spirit walker to the ranks? Poor Leos has no idea!' he had laughed._

Kanuk began gathering the necessary items for the summoning. Torak's mind was racing as he sat slumped in the circle. He couldn't escape his bindings to fight the Mage, and even if he could, he was physically weaker than the other man. He knew that if he attempted another attack, that blade was going to injure or kill Renn. The Mage had been sure to tell him that as he tied him up. The only thing that could save them now was Wolf.

He had been thinking about where Wolf had gone, when with a disconnected sort of interest, Torak noted that he produced a bowl of blood, several containers of ground up ochre pigments and several gleaming white skulls – one of which was a bear skull. It was a huge bear skull at that. Torak had a strange feeling in his stomach as he stared deeper and deeper into the eyeless sockets of the enormous ivory white skull.

'Do you recognise it?' Kanuk asked, taking a break from his foraging and placing a large hand on the crown of its head. 'You should. You killed it.'

Torak had been through too much that day to be fazed by this new information, but he did find himself wondering how he came by it. 'How did you find it? It was buried under a whole mountainside of snow.'

'I have my methods,' he shrugged and moved off to collect more items. Torak reckoned that tokoroth had been involved, but kept his mouth shut.

After a while, Kanuk had a large fire going, and in it he boiled up the blood, casting strange flakes of bone and charred teeth into it as he chanted. After a while, he seemed to be lost in a trance of chanting and stirring. Torak took the opportunity whilst the Mage was momentarily distracted to contact Wolf, he only had once chance and he had no idea how Kanuk would react to him howling. He tilted his head back, exposing his Adam's apple and howled loud, deep and true into the cavernous space. The low-pitched start rose in note and changed octave as he called, echoing back and forth all around them in pure wolf song, '_pack-brother, help me_!'

ooooo

Renn closed her eyes as Torak's beautiful howl washed over her troubled mind and thoughts. The concave shape of the room and the hard surface of the walls created long-lasting echoes that seemed to pass right through her. He seemed louder than he ever had before, and the emotion in his voice made the howls almost sound like they were from another world.  
The spiritual ambience of the secret cave and the situation they were in made it all the more surreal.

She couldn't tell for sure because of the bouncing reverberating echoes, but she thought she could hear another voice in the howl. It can't be Wolf, she told herself, and he's far away with Darkfur and the cubs. Renn was listening to what sounded like a separate voice, when one of the howls abruptly cut off, and only one from far away continued.

She snapped open her eyes to see the Mage looming over Torak, fisting his dark locks in one hand and brandishing a flint blade in the second. He was pressing against the exposed skin of his neck as he pulled his head back by the hair.

'You know what will happen if you summon spirits to your aid or if you transform and escape little spirit walker – the girl dies!' He pressed the knife further into the skin, and to Renn's horror she saw a trail of blood trickle from the point of contact.

'Stop it, leave him alone!'

The Mage smirked at her outcry, knowing full well he wasn't going to 'leave him alone'. Once he locked eyes with her, he pushed the boy from him so that Torak sprawled out on the dusty floor. With terrifying slow intensity he moved towards her. Renn couldn't, and wouldn't look away from his dark eyes, so churning with hate that they reminded her of the demon bear's.

'You can't do anything to me,' she said, trying to sound confident. Renn knew that if she was killed, Torak wouldn't submit to his plans.

The Mage didn't reply as he neared her, but unsheathed his slate knife. Renn felt adrenaline coursing through her as he drew closer and closer. The second howl she thought she'd heard continued from somewhere deep in the cave, causing them all to stop and listen. Kanuk looked around for the sound, and for a moment a look of uncertainty crossed his features.

Renn thought fast.

'Torak's summoned the great spirits now with his power. They're coming for you.'

'Don't be stupid girl.' He made a move to slap her, when a wolf howled again – louder this time. His hand stopped centimetres from her flushed cheek. Renn couldn't help but let her hopes soar at that familiar howl. If Wolf had somehow managed to get here, he was one last chance at escape. Kanuk quickly asserted himself, but didn't realise his back was to Torak and to the entrance of the cave. 'There's no chance of escape. The howl is merely the spirits coming to help me for the true cause.'

'Well you're wrong.'

'You will learn some respect,' he hissed, suddenly drawing close and brandishing his slate blade.

Renn immediately regretted her quick tongue and watched helplessly as he lowered the blade to her arm. He wasn't going to kill her before he had his way with Torak – but he could leave a mark if he so wished. Grabbing the soft skin of her forearm, he squeezed until she felt like her ulna was going to crack. He slashed the knife across her pale flesh, drawing forth bright red blood.

She bit her tongue to keep from crying out at the sharp laceration, and looked somewhere else to remove herself from the pain. Behind Kanuk, emerging from the dark cave entrance was such a strange ensemble of individuals that Renn thought she was surely dreaming.

A stranger who looked as if he hadn't eaten in weeks stood next to Leos with a flint blade clutched so hard in his grip that his whole arm was shaking. Wolf was there as well, and was accompanied by a large gaggle of small children, watching the scene with wary large eyes.

Renn watched as suddenly, the events around her seemed to go in slow motion.

Leos dashed to Torak and helped him up, slicing his cordage from his wrists and ankles swiftly.

The wild looking, malnourished man ran up to them, followed by Wolf, and stabbed the Bear Mage deep in the back with his flint blade. Kanuk's knife clattered to the floor, leaving a trail of her blood in its path. His whole body became taut. With wide, disbelieving eyes, he tried to turn to see his attacker, but a vital nerve had been severed, and with one last shocked look at Renn beneath him, he collapsed heavily on top of her.


	12. Chapter 12

'I swear on my three souls I had no idea that he was behind this!' Leos pleaded to Torak gesturing wildly with his hands, trying to make him understand that he thought he was doing the right thing.

'You helped him capture Renn!' Torak countered, his voice echoing loudly in the cave.

Although Kanuk lay dead on the altar, his lingering souls dangerously close to the group, the drama wasn't entirely over. They had discovered a tiny fragment of fire opal among his things, and had buried it near his body, hoping that his life would be enough to snuff out its power. Torak knew, but didn't say, that Seshru must have given it to him to make tokoroth.

Leos' involvement with the Bear Mage hadn't gone unnoticed, and though they all wanted to believe he was innocent, the turmoil they'd all undergone made tensions run high.

'He promised me he wouldn't harm her. He said it was only to lure you here, so he could use your power to kill the demon!'

'Oh so you're fine with me being killed?'

'He never said he was going to end your life. I just wanted the demon gone. I'd known Kanuk since I was a boy and had no reason not to trust him, I know nothing of Magecraft – when he told me he knew how to use your power to kill the menace, I believed him and I followed him. I thought I was doing the right thing.' He hung his head as he finished, feeling utterly ashamed of what he'd done to the two of them. He was sure that now Renn would never agree to be his mate since he almost got her killed.

He cast a quick glance at her and saw her standing by the mysterious wolf and the children. She was clutching at the fluffy scruff of his neck, and seemed to be swaying slightly. He wished he could offer her a drink of water or some food to revive her somewhat, but he'd given it all to Dari. He looked at the exorcised man, and saw that he was also swaying, his hand still holding the flint blade that ended Kanuk's life.

'We should talk about this once we get out. This place is affecting our judgement.' Dari said, moving closer to Torak and placing a worn hand on his shoulder. The younger man nodded.

Soon they were all holding torches, and following the wolf through the dark tunnels back towards the light.

ooooo

The Bear Camp was in utter jubilation at the return of the missing children. Many of them had not been captured long enough to become sick, but a few were suffering malnourishment and had injuries from trying to escape.

Renn was kept busy by making poultices, bandages, herbal medications and offering comforting words to the children and to Dari who had been kept in the dark the longest. Although the mental side effects would not be as easy to heal, Renn was convinced that they could all go back to leading a normal life through the love and care of their parents and families.

Torak spent the next few busy days with Wolf, deep in the forest away from the happy camp and all the feasts they were throwing for the heroes. He didn't like being the centre of attention and he missed having time with his pack-brother. But Wolf was quick to detect his inner melancholy, and knew it was once again because of the pack-sister. He cocked his head to the side and let out a whine – why were Tall Taillesses so complicated?

Leos spent the days talking with the families, organising feasts and telling the entire Clan what had happened. They saved the prestige of the Bear Clan by saying that their Mage was killed by the demon, not that he was a Soul Eater. If word got out that he was planning to turn their children into tokoroth, many of them would never sleep soundly again. Dari had wisely advised him what they don't know won't hurt them. Another problem was plaguing Leos, ruining what should be a happy time for him. Now that Kanuk was dead, they needed a new Mage. He observed how well Renn treated the children, and the effectiveness of her remedies. She was not only the woman he wanted to mate; she was also the perfect solution to his problem.

Dari had put on a little weight, experienced a thorough wash and hair cut, and was feeling better than he had in months. The redhead's medicine had worked wonders on his sore eyes, and he was able to see almost as well as he had before he was captured. He enjoyed the company of people more than he could ever put into words. The loneliness of the cave had made him appreciate how beneficial sharing even a simple smile with someone could be. However, seeing Leos and his two foreign friends and that Wolf made him remember his trauma, and he was determined that once he was back to full health and repaid his debt to the Bears, he would travel south back to the Bison Clan where he was born, and put all his bad memories behind him for good.

Once the celebrations had died down, and the routine of normal life began to fill the days, Leos called a meeting in his shelter. Settled around a hearth fire on comfortable padded cushions of furs and straw, he addressed his four guests.

'Torak, Dari, Renn and Wolf,' he settled on each pair of eyes as he said their names, 'Now that things have returned to normal, I have called you here to make amends for my involvement with the Mage in the cave. I am so sorry for the pain that I've caused, but you must know that I did not know what his true intentions were. I thought I was doing what was best for my Clan.'

Renn was nodding, 'When the Mage was talking about his...plans for an army, he did say to us that you had no idea. I believe what you are saying.'

Torak wished he could forgive him so readily, but he couldn't when he helped kidnap her. Deep in his heart he knew that Leos was telling the truth, and had done whatever any leader would have done, but his dislike for the man was too overpowering. Every time he looked at Leos, he just saw the man Renn had chosen, and it made him sick in the stomach. His face held no tattoo, it was handsome and fair. His chest held no ugly scar either, compared to his it was unblemished and well developed. Leos was a man, and compared to him he still felt like that boy of 12 summers up against Hord of 19 in the first fight of his life.

'I too believe what you are saying,' Dari spoke up in a voice far softer than Leos had heard when he was first found. 'You rescued me from that pit, and untied Torak when we reached the cave. I believe you were deceived by him. We all were.'

Leos and Renn nodded their heads in agreement. Torak was the only one who hadn't spoken. Wolf lay his head on his paws and waited. An awkward silence filled the circular hide shelter until Leos decided to ask him straight out.

'And what do you say, Torak?'

The tawny skinned youth looked up at the older man and fixed him with a serious assessing look. Renn glanced anxiously between them. She knew that they weren't exactly the best of friends after what had happened, but she wanted Torak to forgive him so that they could all move past this.

'You did what was best for your Clan, which is what a good leader would have done.' Torak said at length, looking away as if that was all that could be said on the matter.

'So, am I forgiven by you?'

Torak laid a hand on Wolf's scruff and looked the leader in the eyes once more, nodding in his reply. 'Yes.'

Once the meeting broke up and they began to leave the shelter, Leos took Renn's hand to hold her back. She turned around along with Torak, both wondering what he was going to say.

'I would like to talk to you Renn,' Leos shot a look at the other young man. 'Alone.'

The redhead nodded, not even looking at Torak as she let herself be led back to the seating area. Torak left immediately with Wolf, wanting to be as far away as possible.

Leos felt his stomach flutter unpleasantly as they both sat down beside the hearth fire. He stirred the embers a little and tried to organise his thoughts. He glanced at her, and saw her patiently waiting. His anxiety increased as he desperately tried to run through what he was going to say. Confessing was something he had very little experience in. He felt like an adolescent just having to think about it.

'I um, I want to ask you something Renn.'

'What is it?'

'Well, since you've been here, you've been a great help to the clan and to me. I see you as one of the best friends I have, and I wanted you to really enjoy your stay here. I'm so sorry... for all that happened after the good things.'

'It's okay Leos; we've already put that behind us.' She sounded wary to him, and Leos fumbled over his next words, afraid that she would reject him.

'Yes, we have, I'm so grateful you forgave me. Thank you. I uh, I want to, no, I hope that you will properly consider what I'm going to ask you now.'

'And what is that?' she asked, unable to keep the curiosity out of her voice.

He looked up at her, wanting to see her reaction to his request. Again he was transfixed by her simple yet elegant beauty. Her long red hair was in loose waves, turned golden orange by the firelight. Dark eyes reflected the glowing embers and seemed to sparkle. Her fair skin looked soft and warm, so much so that he had to berate himself for wanting right then and there to take her.

'Renn, I would like you to become my mate.'

Her eyes visibly widened and then she looked away. Leos noted the flush creeping onto her cheeks, but he didn't know if it was because she was pleased or embarrassed. She looked back to him, 'your mate?'

Now that he'd got the most difficult part over, the words seemed to spill out of his mouth before he could stop them. 'Yes. I love you Renn. I know this may seem sudden but I want you to lead the clan with me as Mage, and live here in my shelter. I want to have a family with you, and share the rest of my life with you by my side.'

He stopped himself from saying more, though he longed to, afraid his passion would scare her. He saw mixed emotions on her face, and fervently prayed to the World Spirit she would not reject him.

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and took a few deep breaths before replying. 'I, I will have to think about all of this Leos.'

'Of course. Find me when you want to talk more.'

They both stood up to leave, but again Leos took her hand in his. She didn't pull away, but watched to see what he would do. He drew her hand up to his mouth, and with more tenderness than she thought him capable, he placed a delicate kiss on the smooth skin of her knuckle.

Renn felt herself tingle at the unexpected feel of his lips on her skin, but before she knew it he had released her hand, and she was free to leave. She gave Leos a small smile, before turning to leave.


	13. Chapter 13

**We've all been waiting for this chapter for a long ass time... I was so happy to write it! **

**ooooo**

Torak heard Renn's footsteps approach before he saw her. After living with her on and off for a vast proportion of his life, he had become aware of all her idiosyncrasies: the way she walked, the way she ate, the way she mumbled and wriggled about in her sleep. And he loved knowing her so well that he was able to notice all of it. He loved everything about her, even her stubborn will and quick temper.

She pushed aside the hide covering the doorway to their small makeshift shelter. It was cosy, with only enough room to fit a hearth fire, their gear and their sleeping sacks.

It was late in the evening, though the long summer days meant the sun was still shining low in the sky, and filtering through fine gaps in their hide dwelling. Wolf was out hunting and the rest of the camp was winding down for sleep. Their small fire was lit, and Torak had been cooking some salmon cakes in the Raven clan way. When he offered her one, things almost seemed to be back to normal – but it couldn't be further from the truth.

'These are delicious, just the way we used to have them.' She said.

'Yeah, I tried to make them the same way.'

The limited conversation drifted into an awkward lull. Renn nibbled at the cake, holding it with both hands like a squirrel and avoided looking at him. Torak was reminded of that time he'd found her half frozen in a blizzard. He'd wrapped her up in his clothes and fed her until the colour had returned to her face and she was well again. A feeling of warmth spread though him at the fond memory, but he knew it was stupid to be thinking such things now – Leos must have asked her to mate with him when he asked to talk to her, and she undoubtedly said yes. Torak convinced himself that it was all over.

'So... what did Leos want to ask you?'

Renn put down her cake, and Torak noted that her cheeks had taken on a reddish tinge. 'He asked me to be his mate, and to become the new Bear Clan Mage.'

'And, what was your reply?' Torak asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He didn't want to hear the answer, but at the same time he wanted to know more than anything.

'I said I'd think about it.' She answered curtly and went back to eating her salmon cake.

Torak was stunned that she hadn't already accepted him. Why hadn't she? His heart began to pound when he considered that she might still want to be with him instead. His earlier resolve of winning of her heart had crumbled after of the events in the cave – Renn had almost lost her life, because of_ him._ The Soul Eater had almost killed her just to get at his spirit walker power. He could not make her choose him, because all this could happen again – and there might not be a way for them to be saved next time.

With a tone of melancholy in his voice he asked, 'are you going to say yes to him?'

Renn looked up at him and gave him a long critical look, as if she were trying to read his thoughts but with no success. She let out a sigh which sounded weary. 'What do you want me to say to him Torak?'

He was a little taken aback by her reply. 'I want you... to do whatever will make you happy.'

'But what do _you_ want? Please, just tell me. I've asked enough times before.'

Torak looked into her dark eyes and knew that she knew he was avoiding the topic. It would not have been the first time. When she'd tried to ask him about his feelings in the past, he would always find a way to wriggle out of answering directly. When he didn't reply, she continued in earnest. 'Be honest with me. I know in the past we've been pretty bad at opening up to each other, but you're my best friend and I want to know how you're feeling. Please, I won't judge.' Renn implored.

The way she was pleading with him made Torak want to open up and just tell her everything that had been bothering him, but he just couldn't. There was too much to be said, and he felt that if he did tell her, she would be angry or upset, and he didn't want their final moments to end like that.

_Their final moments._

The thought hit Torak like a charging bull Auroch. Sitting here with her right now, could be one of the last times I see her if she chooses Leos, he thought with shocking intensity. Should I tell her? Will it make any difference? Would I want it to?

Questions buzzed around in his head so violently and with so much conflicting emotion that he barely noticed when Wolf arrived through the flap of the shelter. He looked over and was met with a very deliberate look from his pack-brother. His eyes were glowing amber, and Torak remembered his earlier resolve. He let caution fly to the wind and turned to Renn. He knew what he had to do.

'Renn, I will tell you everything. But first, let me get you some tea. This may take a while.'

ooooo

Renn sipped at her strawberry fruit tea as Torak began to speak. With her free hand she stroked the fur of Wolf's scruff and scratched behind his ears as he sat by the entrance. She was so glad that he was going to open up to her; she could scarcely believe that he had agreed to it. It wasn't in his nature to be very talkative, so she wondered why he had. Although she was feeling nervous about what the truth was, she wanted to know before she said anything more to Leos.

'Let me start from the beginning. Well, not the beginning beginning.'

'I know what you mean.' Renn smiled at him, and he let out a nervous laugh before trying to continue.

'When we first got here, I was being completely unfair to you and I cannot say sorry enough for the confusion I must have caused you,' the mood became more sombre as he began to talk in depth about his emotions. 'I know at that time you felt... affection for me, but I didn't always return it. That is because I was very confused at that time about what I wanted.'

Renn listened with her full attention, not wanting to miss a single word. She watched as Torak fiddled with a loose strand of sinew thread from his boots, occasionally glancing up at her as if he couldn't look at her for more than a few moments at a time.

'I um... I wanted to return your affections then and sometimes I did, but I always felt pulled in two directions because of who I am, or what I am, I should say. I felt as if being a spirit walker had tainted me for the rest of my life. It hung over my head like a blade, and I didn't want that to burden you with that if you ever wanted to be my mate. I thought you deserved more, so that's why I didn't intervene when you went off with Leos. You deserved a man who could give you a proper, safe, comfortable life. With me, you're vulnerable – just look what happened in the cave with the Bear Mage. I never want you in danger because of me, that's why I distanced myself.'

Renn felt a whirlwind of mixed emotions at finally hearing the truth. She was overjoyed that he didn't see her as just a friend as she had agonised over, but she was also angry at how he'd taken her choice into his own hands – again. He did that a lot when they were younger and she had thought they were finally over that. He was always going off without her or leaving her behind, thinking it was too dangerous.

He had never asked what _she_ wanted. If he had, maybe they wouldn't be in this mess, as he would have found out all she wanted was him long ago, and nothing he could do would change that. She almost groaned out loud at his childish behaviour, taking all the burdens on himself and leaving her confused.

But there was one thing she still wanted to know above all else: did he still want to be with her? Did he love her?

'Torak – do you...do you still want to be with me?' she spoke so softly that she at first thought he didn't hear her, but then he looked at her with such intensity in his shining grey eyes that she had no doubt he heard.

She couldn't help but properly look at him that moment before he answered, in case the reply was something she didn't want to hear. She committed his handsome face to memory, including his circular outcast tattoo that made him who he was. Her eyes roamed from his forehead to his unusual silver-grey eyes, to his long straight nose and his lips, which she longed to kiss. She also noticed with a sparkle of amusement that he was starting to show signs of an early beard on his chin and jaw. It made him look older, and definitely more attractive with his darker complexion, though she had always found him good looking, even when she first saw him as an angry, grubby 12 year.

'Yes, I love you Renn.'

She couldn't believe what she'd just heard. 'You do?'

'Yes. I have since I first met you, though I didn't know it then. I'm so sorry I've been so stupid.'

'Oh. Torak.' She could only say his name before she felt tears rising up faster than she could quell them back down. She usually kept her emotions in check, but the happiness in her couldn't be contained. Her voice cracked as fresh hot tears streaked down her red cheeks, 'you stupid, stupid boy Torak!'

Torak looked utterly bewildered at her response, thinking she was upset because of what he had said. He cast puzzled look at Wolf, thinking that somehow he could explain her behaviour to him. When Renn dived into his arms, he was even more confused, but definitely not complaining at her willingness to be in his embrace.

'You're so stupid,' she sobbed into his jerkin, pressing her cheek against his shoulder and clutching at him. She felt his arms wrap tightly around her, and she couldn't describe the utter elation of being in his embrace after all the drama they'd gone through. He loved her, all this time. All the moons spent in confusion since they first left the Raven camp seemed to evaporate into nothingness when he pressed his cheek against her forehead to calm her, and she felt his warm breath on her hair. She never wanted him to let her go.

'Are you going to tell me what you're feeling now?' he asked, wanting to know what brought on her tears and insults.

'I'm feeling so happy.'

'Happy? You don't sound it.'

Renn laughed, and looked up at him with a sniff, aware that he was missing out on a vital piece of information. He brushed away a stray tear on her cheek with his thumb and once again she wanted to lean up to kiss him, their faces were so close...but she had to tell him first.

'Torak, I love you too.'

'You do?' he said, his eyes bright with joy. She laughed again at his mirror reaction to her own. She was overjoyed that they had each confessed, but she was still deeply annoyed by his behaviour. She remembered when they'd left the Ravens, and she'd made him promise that he'd never try to leave her behind again. Renn decided they would have another talk soon about his unwillingness to let her make her own decisions, but now was a time for celebration. She was not going to let him leave her, no matter what.

'Yes. And I'm never going to leave you.' Her voice cracked again, and she had to take deep breaths to keep talking to him without breaking down. She could see his own eyes glistening as he gazed down at her. 'Now that I know you love me too, I feel so happy.'

Torak smiled at her, wiping at his eyes as he did so. He could not put into words the joy he felt, so he decided to use actions instead.

He cupped her cheek in his palm and wiped away another stray tear. 'Don't cry anymore Renn.'

'I won't if you're with me.' She leaned into his touch, feeling so much joy that she thought she would burst.

Torak moved his thumb to lightly touch her parted lips, feeling how soft they were and admiring their rosy colour. They had kissed before, but this time felt completely different, as if it was their first time. This time they knew their mutual affection. This time there was no doubt about what it meant for both of them.

He brought her in closer and closed the gap between them, angling his head down to meet her pink lips in a slow, lingering kiss. She tasted sweet and feminine, as he remembered, but this time he could enjoy the sensation rather than worry about his turbulent emotions. He felt her hands snake up around his neck and then move down his chest and stomach, creating pleasurable new jolts and tingles that spread throughout his body. He let his hands roam through her hair, feeling the soft red tresses slip through his fingers, before moving down to grasp her hips, bottom and thighs. He was overwhelmed by happiness, that he could finally touch her how we wanted to, how he'd dreamed of doing.

When they had to part for air, Wolf let out a whine and promptly left the tent. Torak smirked at his pack-brother. It almost seemed as if he were embarrassed. He didn't have long to think about it however, as Renn captured his lips in hers again. They both fell back onto his sleeping sack, laughing and kissing as if making up for lost time.


	14. Chapter 14

**This fic is almost over! Thank you so much for your support xxx  
By the way if anyone wants me to conclude the series on a not-so-innocent note, review to let me know! Otherwise this will just finish on a sweet note!**

ooooo

Renn found Leos the next morning by the wide river, a little way off camp. He was fishing by himself, his sandy brown hair shining in the bright light. His bare torso was by now a rich golden tan from working out in the summer sun. Renn remembered the way she admired his chest the first time she saw him, but now found herself comparing him to Torak, and preferring his.

She called out a greeting, moving out of the underbrush of the forest and down towards the riverbank, stepping over stones and moving around the boulders that littered the edge of the water.

He looked up at her call and smiled at seeing her, a large broad smile that grew and grew as she got closer. Renn felt dread in the pit of her stomach as he put down his net and brushed the water from his hands onto his worn leggings, ready to talk to her. She returned his smile somewhat reservedly, for there was no heart in it. She was not happy to see him, because she knew what she had to do.

'Have you thought about my offer?' he asked, leaning back on a large boulder. His body language told her he was trying to act suave and confident, but she noticed tenseness in his shoulders and a wary look in his warm brown eyes.

'Yes, I have thought about it.' Renn replied slowly, fiddling with the hem of her Bear Clan dress.  
It brought back fond memories of their first days at the camp. She couldn't deny that both she and Torak had been profoundly changed by their experiences here. The thought of leaving behind all the nice people and the children filled her with immense sadness, but at the same time she was ready to say goodbye.

'And?' he paused and looked searchingly at her troubled face. 'Will you be my mate?'

Before Renn could answer what she'd rehearsed in her head, he took her hand again. His grip was warm and strong, and she looked down at their entwined fingers, seeing a future that was never meant to be.

'I can't.' She spoke quickly, breaking her hand away and placing it behind her back.

Leos looked as if he'd been physically struck. 'You can't? Why not? I love you Renn, don't you understand?'

'I know you love me,' she spoke softly. The hurt and shock in Leos' usually laughing brown eyes pained her. 'But I love Torak. We talked yesterday and he told me he loves me. It's a long story but we've decided to leave together, and keep travelling like we used to. I'm so sorry Leos.'

'But all that pain he caused you, that time when you came crying to me – why do you want him and not me? I would never, ever hurt you like that, I promise!' The panic rose in his voice with each statement, and his hands gesticulated wildly, trying to emphasise his emotions.

'I know you wouldn't. I wanted to love you Leos, when I thought Torak didn't want me anymore. I care about you. My time here would have been unbearable if it wasn't for you, and I'm grateful to you as a friend, but I don't love you.'

Leos' face turned from pained to angry. He knew what she was saying made sense, but he didn't want to understand. 'So when you thought he didn't care for you, then I was good enough?'

'You know it wasn't like that.' She replied, feeling annoyed that he would think that. Her quick temper flared.

'Sure. Being Clan leader doesn't compare with being the Great Spirit walker, a saviour of the forest – does it?'

'Leos.' She said with clenched teeth, trying not to shout at him. 'We both know that's not why I chose Torak. You asked me to think about it and I have.'

'Fine, go with him. Maybe I'm not good enough for you but I don't need you. I could get any young woman as my mate. Run off with the wolf boy, I don't care.'

Renn took one last hard look at him before turning on her heel and walking away into the forest. Her anger quickly left her and she felt heaviness in her heart at his reaction. She hadn't planned for him to be so upset and angry, and it had shocked her. _I hope no one again will ever fall in love with me that I can't love back,_ she thought dismally. The camp was in site when she heard him calling her name from behind.

She waited for him to catch up. 'Renn, when are you leaving?'

'This afternoon.'

'It's not true. What I said before.' He spoke with his eyes cast downward and his shoulders slumped, the opposite of the cheery man she had come to know. 'I knew you loved him, and I knew that he still loved you. When I first met you two by the river I could see it in his eyes. But I wanted you for myself. I wanted you to love me.'

Renn wanted to go to Leos to comfort him in his grief, but she didn't dare encourage him. 'I'm so sorry Leos. If I hadn't known Torak, I would have loved you. I do love you in my own way, but it's not the way you want. I'm sorry.'

He nodded dejectedly and they started to walk back to camp together in silence.

ooooo

With everything packed, Torak and Renn bid farewell to the members of the Bear Clan they had come to know. The little children, still believing Renn was a water spirit, asked her questions about how Torak could possibly live under water with her. She answered as best she could, and left them all wondering if another water spirit would visit someday. The adults and youths, knowing better, thanked them again for their part in defeating the demon. The duo was given gifts of jewellery and fine furs for their journey.

Dari was staying with the Bears until he was completely well, then he would travel home. He encouraged the two of them to visit the Bison Clan far to the south, promising them they would be offered a warm welcome as his honoured guests.

As the members of the Clan watched the two ascend the worn path up the valley hill, they simultaneously let out a gasp of disbelief as a large grey wolf bounded up to the pair. To their utter astonishment, they saw the Torak the Soul Eater-Vanquisher stroke and hug the large creature. The wolf had been seen around camp in fleeting glimpses, but most people had thought it was just after the meat that was drying like many other scavenging predators such as foxes or wolverines. No one had suspected that Torak knew this wolf personally. Dari grinned at their stunned reactions.

As they moved deeper into the trees several began to truly wonder about this Torak and his soon-to-be mate. Stories and tales had already started spreading that grossly exaggerated his powers, claiming he was the son of the World Spirit incarnate. The power over the wolf was just adding more fuel to the fire. His fair mate was claimed to be a water spirit, transformed into a woman by the power of the spirit walker. Many stories would be made about the two of them to pass time in the frigid winter, and likely be passed down through the generations.

Torak linked his fingers through Renn's and gave her a winning smile. She returned it and gripped his hand hard, afraid to let it go now that they were finally together. Wolf scampered around them, wagging his tail in delight at the sight of his pack-brother and the pack-sister together as they should be.

Renn looked back to the Bear Clan for the last time, straining to see one face in particular. He hadn't been present when they were saying goodbye to the rest of the people, and she wanted to remember him properly. Her last memory of Leos was seeing him heartbroken and anguished – she wanted to see his smile and his laughter, just to know that he would be alright once she was gone.

Again she scanned the crowd, but there was no tall sandy haired man amongst them.

Then, she saw him.

He was away from the main group, on a part of the rock face that made up the valley wall above the cave. He was too far away to see his face properly, but when she lifted her arm to wave at him, she could see him clearly waving back, spear in hand. She beamed at him, happy in her heart to know that he had accepted her decision. He was acknowledging her departure.  
What she didn't see as she left with Torak was the shaking of his chest and the hot tears that formed in his amber brown eyes.

He whispered to the wind, 'goodbye my water nymph.'


	15. Chapter 15

**This is the first fanfic I've ever finished :0 So proud of myself today! I didn't include a M rated last chapter because I felt it wouldn't really feel right. If you want to see T&amp;R getting it on (lol) you can see my other story: The New Forest, in chapter 5!**  
**Once again thank you for your support and encouragement, please enjoy this last chapter x**

ooooo

Torak and Renn ate an authentic Raven Clan meal that night, cooked in the way they loved and missed. After eating, they joined in with Wolf for a celebratory howl, and though Renn couldn't quite hit the highest notes, they both encouraged her to join in. The hill top they camped on had a spectacular view of the valleys and forests they had travelled through. As the sun set in the west, illuminating the landscape in spectacular shades of gold and red, the empty hill top sung with heartfelt wolf melody and intervals of resounding laughter. Three strong voices sung, weaving in and out and alternating pitch to create the eternal tune of the forest.

Wolf left soon after, feeling the pull of his den too strongly to resist anymore. The cubs needed him, and he missed Darkfur. Torak had no way of telling him he'd see him again soon.  
The woods teemed with life, but other than the pair, there were no humans around. They both felt as if they had been transported back to their youth, before they had come of age, when they went on adventures together. Only this time, there was no more crushing responsibility on their shoulders. The forest didn't have to be saved, and the Soul Eaters were gone. The young couple could instead spend all the time they wanted on themselves and the new level they had reached in their relationship. And they intended to do just that.

The tawny skinned youth put his arm around Renn's shoulder. He was still a little unsure of how to act around her now that they knew they loved one another, and was still a little nervous about initiating intimacy. They had kissed a lot the previous day in the Bear shelter, and they had kept their hands entwined for most of the walk, but he was feeling bolder with every milestone. To his delight, she snuggled closer to him and placed a small hand on his knee. They sat side by side on the floor next to the camp fire, watching the golden flames dance and twirl skywards.

'Renn?'

'Mm?' she looked up at him. Her charcoal black eyes were wide and questioning.

Torak tightened his grip around her shoulder, moving her even closer to him. He moved his head down a little and whispered in her ear, her soft hair tickling his nose. He found it hard to talk about his feelings freely, but he had to tell Renn what had been going around in his head all day. The emotion in his voice was so strong that it almost sounded strangled. 'I'm so glad you're here.'

'I'm glad too.' She whispered back, wrapping an arm around his neck and placing a soft kiss on his cheek. After simply embracing for a while, lost in the relief and happiness that they were together at last, they moved so that Renn was sitting on his lap. Torak wrapped his arms around her, and she snuggled against him, both of them perfectly content to just share each other's company. No more words were needed.

Torak let a gentle sigh escape his lips. He was so happy that they could finally share these tender moments. For so long it seemed as if he would never have the courage to do so, but here he was, with Renn in his lap and her lips seeking his. He could hardly believe that she had chosen him. He would be grateful every day for his beautiful, strong woman.

Renn pulled back after another pulse-quickening kiss, feeling warm and content in Torak's arms. But the mood for her was not perfect. There was a pressing matter niggling in the back of her mind. She placed her arms around his neck and played with the hair on the back of his head, smiling coyly at him.

'Torak?'

He placed his hands on her hips, massaging the flesh softly. It almost made Renn completely lose focus, but not quite. 'Yes?'

'I need you to make me a promise.'

His brow furrowed and his massaging stopped. The mood turned more serious. 'What is it?'

'Remember when we left the Ravens, and you tried to leave without me?'

'...yes.' She could detect the wariness in his voice.

'Do you remember when I told you, "_It's not your choice to make, it's mine"_?'

He nodded.

'Well, I think that this whole drama could have been avoided if you had been honest with me, and let me make my own choice, don't you think?'

Again he nodded dumbly, avoiding her eyes.

She spoke sternly, trying to drill the message into his head. 'I remember the exact words I said after that. I said, "_You've tried to leave me behind before. This is the last time_." Leos almost made you leave me again.' She paused, trying to keep the hurt out of her voice at the fresh memory. 'I need you to promise me that this really is the last time. We're in this together, and you need to ask me what I want. Will you promise me?'

'Yes.'

'Yes what?' she pressed, wanting to hear it from his lips.

'Yes I promise I will never leave you behind again. I promise I will always let you make your own choices.' He finished. The mood seemed to lift as she beamed at him. His smile grew steadily in response.

'Thank you Torak. I love you.' Renn said, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks at saying it. It still felt so new. His words had caused a great weight to lift from her shoulders, and now she felt as if she were as light and carefree as a feather in the wind. She placed a hand on Torak's cheek.

'And I love you.' He replied, his grey eyes soft with tenderness. They shared another heartfelt kiss, both reeling in happiness. It had been a long journey for the both of them, but now they had finally reached the destination they had always been heading for.

They stayed locked in each other's arms until the moon was far above them, held in suspension in the ink black sky. Only then did they eventually crawl into their sleeping sacks and fall asleep, nestled close together, forever more.


End file.
